Meant to post this last week, but got too caught up eating delicious grilled meat and imbibing cold bevs.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/co...story.html

That's another bowl held in a stadium already hosting a bowl. IMO, that's an easy way to cut-out some of these "loser bowls". No way the Citrus Bowl needs to host three games! I think the Texas Bowl and the Music City Bowl, in particular, could be elevated. Could see a Hollywood Bowl (insert dumb music jokes) develop, owned by the Rams overlord perhaps.

What think ye?

Tropicana Field can't be long for this world - once the Rays move to Tampa, that should be curtains for the Trop.

Camping Wor . . the Citrus Bowl will host more games simply because the four-letter network's corporate parent is based in the Orlando area. Those games aren't moving.

I could see the Holiday Bowl moving to the Rams' new playpen, simply because the Rams will have a mortgage payment to make. It may also help clear a path logistically for a new stadium in San Diego that is the more appropriate size for SDSU football. It may also make sense to try to acquire what is currently the Hawaii Bowl and move it to the mainland.

Also, that Indianapolis doesn't have a bowl by now seems to be a bit puzzling. I could see Indianapolis poaching a game like the Bahamas Bowl, especially if there could be a MAC/American matchup (think Cincinnati vs. Central Michigan).

As long as TV is willing to pay for more bowls, we will have more bowls. TV partners just have to make the money work for the participants and themselves.

I complain about all these lesser bowls, but in reality, I watch a lot of them too ... I can't be the only one that does that.

And if sports gambling takes off the way people think, there will be an audience for all these lower bowl games.

It is too bad because St. Petersburg is such a cool little town. It’s my favorite town in that entire region. It’s just really quaint and old-fashioned feeling. I really love it! We stayed at the Vinoy right there by the water and it is a really cool old-fashioned hotel. The whole town had a throwback vibe to it that my wife and I just loved!

However, that building is just plain awful! I couldn’t believe how terrible a facility it was when I saw baseball game there two years ago. That is not a Major League Baseball caliber facility.

(06-03-2018 09:07 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  It is too bad because St. Petersburg is such a cool little town. It’s my favorite town in that entire region. It’s just really quaint and old-fashioned feeling. I really love it! We stayed at the Vinoy right there by the water and it is a really cool old-fashioned hotel. The whole town had a throwback vibe to it that my wife and I just loved!

However, that building is just plain awful! I couldn’t believe how terrible a facility it was when I saw baseball game there two years ago. That is not a Major League Baseball caliber facility.

If the Rays move to YBor City...the Trop should be torn down. It might make sense to build a Spring Training Facility there along with Condos, Retail, etc. The Rays could relocate their facility from Port Charlotte to St Pete. Not sure how many years the Rays are on the hook for Port Charlotte.

St Pete is a cool town..traffic much better than Clearwater and Tampa too.

Yeah, I think that’s going to happen too. I have a buddy who lives down there and is not involved in the project but is involved in a lot of development projects down there. He told me that it’s just a matter of time. They’re working out the logistics, but it seems like even the people in St. Petersburg have kind of given up the ghost on the fight with Tampa for the Rays.

That Ybor City site is really cool and that whole part of town is pretty cool. I love the Channelside district where the Lightning play. However, St. Petersburg has more charm – much more charm. I think if I were going to go down there for a game, I would stay in St. Pete and just drive over to Tampa for the game.

(06-03-2018 06:34 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Tropicana Field can't be long for this world - once the Rays move to Tampa, that should be curtains for the Trop.

Camping Wor . . the Citrus Bowl will host more games simply because the four-letter network's corporate parent is based in the Orlando area. Those games aren't moving.

I could see the Holiday Bowl moving to the Rams' new playpen, simply because the Rams will have a mortgage payment to make. It may also help clear a path logistically for a new stadium in San Diego that is the more appropriate size for SDSU football. It may also make sense to try to acquire what is currently the Hawaii Bowl and move it to the mainland.

Also, that Indianapolis doesn't have a bowl by now seems to be a bit puzzling. I could see Indianapolis poaching a game like the Bahamas Bowl, especially if there could be a MAC/American matchup (think Cincinnati vs. Central Michigan).

As long as TV is willing to pay for more bowls, we will have more bowls. TV partners just have to make the money work for the participants and themselves.

Man, if there is a bowl in Indianapolis...no. Just, put one in Buffalo. Or Ft. Wayne while you're at it.

Anyway, 18-25 bowls would be solid, and possibly better overall viewership through the holiday season. We all know it won't happen, because excess is in!

(06-03-2018 06:34 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Tropicana Field can't be long for this world - once the Rays move to Tampa, that should be curtains for the Trop.

Camping Wor . . the Citrus Bowl will host more games simply because the four-letter network's corporate parent is based in the Orlando area. Those games aren't moving.

I could see the Holiday Bowl moving to the Rams' new playpen, simply because the Rams will have a mortgage payment to make. It may also help clear a path logistically for a new stadium in San Diego that is the more appropriate size for SDSU football. It may also make sense to try to acquire what is currently the Hawaii Bowl and move it to the mainland.

Also, that Indianapolis doesn't have a bowl by now seems to be a bit puzzling. I could see Indianapolis poaching a game like the Bahamas Bowl, especially if there could be a MAC/American matchup (think Cincinnati vs. Central Michigan).

As long as TV is willing to pay for more bowls, we will have more bowls. TV partners just have to make the money work for the participants and themselves.

Maybe Indy doesn't want a bowl.

(06-03-2018 09:59 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(06-03-2018 06:34 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Tropicana Field can't be long for this world - once the Rays move to Tampa, that should be curtains for the Trop.

Camping Wor . . the Citrus Bowl will host more games simply because the four-letter network's corporate parent is based in the Orlando area. Those games aren't moving.

I could see the Holiday Bowl moving to the Rams' new playpen, simply because the Rams will have a mortgage payment to make. It may also help clear a path logistically for a new stadium in San Diego that is the more appropriate size for SDSU football. It may also make sense to try to acquire what is currently the Hawaii Bowl and move it to the mainland.

Also, that Indianapolis doesn't have a bowl by now seems to be a bit puzzling. I could see Indianapolis poaching a game like the Bahamas Bowl, especially if there could be a MAC/American matchup (think Cincinnati vs. Central Michigan).

As long as TV is willing to pay for more bowls, we will have more bowls. TV partners just have to make the money work for the participants and themselves.

Man, if there is a bowl in Indianapolis...no. Just, put one in Buffalo. Or Ft. Wayne while you're at it.

Anyway, 18-25 bowls would be solid, and possibly better overall viewership through the holiday season. We all know it won't happen, because excess is in!

Indy is at least a really great host. They are nicely set up to handle events.

Whether they want to host a bowl is another issue.

(06-03-2018 09:59 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(06-03-2018 06:34 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Tropicana Field can't be long for this world - once the Rays move to Tampa, that should be curtains for the Trop.

Camping Wor . . the Citrus Bowl will host more games simply because the four-letter network's corporate parent is based in the Orlando area. Those games aren't moving.

I could see the Holiday Bowl moving to the Rams' new playpen, simply because the Rams will have a mortgage payment to make. It may also help clear a path logistically for a new stadium in San Diego that is the more appropriate size for SDSU football. It may also make sense to try to acquire what is currently the Hawaii Bowl and move it to the mainland.

Also, that Indianapolis doesn't have a bowl by now seems to be a bit puzzling. I could see Indianapolis poaching a game like the Bahamas Bowl, especially if there could be a MAC/American matchup (think Cincinnati vs. Central Michigan).

As long as TV is willing to pay for more bowls, we will have more bowls. TV partners just have to make the money work for the participants and themselves.

Man, if there is a bowl in Indianapolis...no. Just, put one in Buffalo. Or Ft. Wayne while you're at it.

Anyway, 18-25 bowls would be solid, and possibly better overall viewership through the holiday season. We all know it won't happen, because excess is in!

Rather have a bowl game in Indy than Detroit.

It's a given that Tropicana Field will be razed if and when the Rays move to Tampa. The area will be redeveloped, probably not including spring training facilities. But it may be another decade before a Tampa site is acquired and a new stadium built and opened. The Trop is not up to modern standards but has served the region well with its location near the downtown St. Pete entertainment district, attracting an expansion MLB franchise, and being an indoor facility where the game can be played and watched comfortably during the brutal Florida summers.

(06-03-2018 09:59 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(06-03-2018 06:34 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Tropicana Field can't be long for this world - once the Rays move to Tampa, that should be curtains for the Trop.

Camping Wor . . the Citrus Bowl will host more games simply because the four-letter network's corporate parent is based in the Orlando area. Those games aren't moving.

I could see the Holiday Bowl moving to the Rams' new playpen, simply because the Rams will have a mortgage payment to make. It may also help clear a path logistically for a new stadium in San Diego that is the more appropriate size for SDSU football. It may also make sense to try to acquire what is currently the Hawaii Bowl and move it to the mainland.

Also, that Indianapolis doesn't have a bowl by now seems to be a bit puzzling. I could see Indianapolis poaching a game like the Bahamas Bowl, especially if there could be a MAC/American matchup (think Cincinnati vs. Central Michigan).

As long as TV is willing to pay for more bowls, we will have more bowls. TV partners just have to make the money work for the participants and themselves.

Man, if there is a bowl in Indianapolis...no. Just, put one in Buffalo. Or Ft. Wayne while you're at it.

Anyway, 18-25 bowls would be solid, and possibly better overall viewership through the holiday season. We all know it won't happen, because excess is in!

I doubt that reducing the number of bowls would impact the viewership for those that remain very much if at all.

(06-03-2018 09:26 PM)Dr. Isaly von Yinzer Wrote:  Yeah, I think that’s going to happen too. I have a buddy who lives down there and is not involved in the project but is involved in a lot of development projects down there. He told me that it’s just a matter of time. They’re working out the logistics, but it seems like even the people in St. Petersburg have kind of given up the ghost on the fight with Tampa for the Rays.

That Ybor City site is really cool and that whole part of town is pretty cool. I love the Channelside district where the Lightning play. However, St. Petersburg has more charm – much more charm. I think if I were going to go down there for a game, I would stay in St. Pete and just drive over to Tampa for the game.

St Petersburg is a patchy place. Yes, some places, like on the coasts of the gulf and the bay, are very charming. But there are other parts of town that are a dump. And a lot of the charming places aren't technically part of St Petersburg, like say Pass-a-Grille which is part of St Pete Beach.

IMO, Tampa Bay might actually lose the Rays. The move to Tampa is taking way longer than it should, and at a certain point the owners may just decide to pull up stakes entirely. The situation at Trop Field is just a really bad one.

(06-04-2018 08:43 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(06-03-2018 09:59 PM)esayem Wrote:  

(06-03-2018 06:34 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  Tropicana Field can't be long for this world - once the Rays move to Tampa, that should be curtains for the Trop.

Camping Wor . . the Citrus Bowl will host more games simply because the four-letter network's corporate parent is based in the Orlando area. Those games aren't moving.

I could see the Holiday Bowl moving to the Rams' new playpen, simply because the Rams will have a mortgage payment to make. It may also help clear a path logistically for a new stadium in San Diego that is the more appropriate size for SDSU football. It may also make sense to try to acquire what is currently the Hawaii Bowl and move it to the mainland.

Also, that Indianapolis doesn't have a bowl by now seems to be a bit puzzling. I could see Indianapolis poaching a game like the Bahamas Bowl, especially if there could be a MAC/American matchup (think Cincinnati vs. Central Michigan).

As long as TV is willing to pay for more bowls, we will have more bowls. TV partners just have to make the money work for the participants and themselves.

Man, if there is a bowl in Indianapolis...no. Just, put one in Buffalo. Or Ft. Wayne while you're at it.

Anyway, 18-25 bowls would be solid, and possibly better overall viewership through the holiday season. We all know it won't happen, because excess is in!

I doubt that reducing the number of bowls would impact the viewership for those that remain very much if at all.

Yes, and heck culling the minor bowls might actually have a negative effect on viewership of bigger bowls, as it's possible that the sheer volume of bowls creates a kind of pump-priming effect that builds an audience for the later, higher-profile games.

I know that personally i LOVE the "bowl season" concept that starts around December 20th, and the minor pre-Christmas bowls help get me involved for the later ones. Sure, I would watch the Rose Bowl or Sugar Bowl no matter what, but maybe a few less mid-tier bowls if there wasn't this critical mass that creates a bowl season climate.

(06-04-2018 06:40 AM)TexanMark Wrote:  Rather have a bowl game in Indy than Detroit.

Indy already has the Big 10 Championship and probably makes way more on that than they would some bowl between the MAC and Big 10 #8.

Detroit, for whatever reason, has been able to maintain a bowl game for many years. Maybe it's the casino.

(06-04-2018 08:43 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(06-03-2018 09:59 PM)esayem Wrote:  Anyway, 18-25 bowls would be solid, and possibly better overall viewership through the holiday season. We all know it won't happen, because excess is in!

I doubt that reducing the number of bowls would impact the viewership for those that remain very much if at all.

Maybe not, but it could increase attendance because the opportunities would be reduced.

(06-04-2018 08:57 AM)esayem Wrote:  

(06-04-2018 08:43 AM)ken d Wrote:  

(06-03-2018 09:59 PM)esayem Wrote:  Anyway, 18-25 bowls would be solid, and possibly better overall viewership through the holiday season. We all know it won't happen, because excess is in!

I doubt that reducing the number of bowls would impact the viewership for those that remain very much if at all.

Maybe not, but it could increase attendance because the opportunities would be reduced.

Attendance is primarily a function of the interest of the fan base of the team involved. A school curing a bowl drought at 6-6 is likely to out draw an 8 win team that was thought to be a playoff contender that bombed its way to 8-4.

The only bowl games I've attended that didn't involve my school were:
An I-Bowl that I was given tickets to when I worked in North Louisiana.
A Liberty Bowl when I was given comp tickets by my hotel after blundering into scheduling a couple days vacation there when I had to cancel a trip because my wife was unable to fly for an inner ear problem.
Some BCS championships I had tickets for.

Outside of a title game or free tickets when I'm already at the bowl site, I'm not attending a bowl game for grins.

I would expect a movement to bring The Bourbon Bowl to Louisville to replace The Bluegrass Bowl. The Bluegrass Bowl was only played one season, 1958, with Oklahoma State defeating Florida State. The Bourbon Bowl is much more popular. Most will remember Bobby Boucher leading the Mud Dawgs to a come from behind win against Red Beaulieu's Cougars.

As with most bowls the partying before the bowl is as important as the game. It will be epic at The Bourbon Bowl.
CJ

(06-04-2018 10:37 AM)CardinalJim Wrote:  I would expect a movement to bring The Bourbon Bowl to Louisville to replace The Bluegrass Bowl. The Bluegrass Bowl was only played one season, 1958, with Oklahoma State defeating Florida State. The Bourbon Bowl is much more popular. Most will remember Bobby Boucher leading the Mud Dawgs to a come from behind win against Red Beaulieu's Cougars.

As with most bowls the partying before the bowl is as important as the game. It will be epic at The Bourbon Bowl.
CJ

Louisville is an under-rated tourist destination.

(06-04-2018 07:43 AM)Ohio Poly Wrote:  It's a given that Tropicana Field will be razed if and when the Rays move to Tampa. The area will be redeveloped, probably not including spring training facilities. But it may be another decade before a Tampa site is acquired and a new stadium built and opened. The Trop is not up to modern standards but has served the region well with its location near the downtown St. Pete entertainment district, attracting an expansion MLB franchise, and being an indoor facility where the game can be played and watched comfortably during the brutal Florida summers.

Incorrect. It will be within 5 years. The Rays lease with the Trop expires in 9 years. They aren't going to wait until the last minute to make a deal. That is just not done. If the Rays play out their lease, they probably will be gone.

The Rays have an agreement w/St Pete to look around for a new stadium now. The deal expires in 2019, so a deal for a new stadium has to be made soon. So at worst you'd be looking at 2023 to open a new stadium. The Rays won't sit around forever. If nothing gets done within the next 2 years, they will start looking to relocate. Guaranteed. No way in heck they play the next 9 years at the trop dump with no new stadium deal. The Trop would immediately be torn down in any new deal.

Prediction. A Rays/Tampa deal will get done in early 2019. Construction will begin in 2020, with a 2022 or 2023 opening date. If that don't happen, then the Rays are gone to Montreal, Portland, San Antonio, or somewhere similar. (Montreal and San Antonio were mentioned by the MLB commish as future expansion possibilities recently).