The Miami Beach Bowl lasted 3 years before the AAC threw in the towel and sold the bowl to ESPN. How long until the ACC and Fenway wave the white flag and move this game somewhere else in the generously-defined ACC footprint?

UConn's joining the Big East highlights the headwinds this bowl faces. Not that they were counting on UConn to fill the stands, but it points out the CFB-unfriendliness of the northeast, coupled with weather questions. Yes the Pinstripe Bowl is a success, but that's always been a BCS-leagues or P5-P5 matchup, and Boston doesn't have Broadway. Boston has attractions, but I don't know how attractive they are the week between Christmas and New Years.

So is the over/under on the Fenway Park bowl 3 years before they part ways with Fenway and move this game somewhere warm?

EDIT: Maybe to Georgia State's stadium at Turner Field?

This is a good question.

Probably not long. I hear its a monster to coordinate.

I would push back on the idea that the Pinstripe Bowl is a success. Big Ten fans from the midwest absolutely hate it with a passion and want to dump it ASAP.

It is not clear to me what kind of contract the Pinstripe has with the Big ten, only that they originally signed a 8-year deal in 2014 that lasted to 2021. It possible that agreement was extended to 2025 to match the new bowl agreements, but I have not seen anything in writing confirming that. Whatever the deal, I predict the Big Ten won't be renewing it after 2025.

(07-13-2019 04:54 PM)goofus Wrote:  I would push back on the idea that the Pinstripe Bowl is a success.

Well, it was successful enough for the Big Ten to claim the spot vs the ACC from the Old Big East. It survived a full bowl cycle plus, which is better than the Miami Beach Bowl did.

Quote:Big Ten fans from the midwest absolutely hate it with a passion and want to dump it ASAP.

It is not clear to me what kind of contract the Pinstripe has with the Big ten, only that they originally signed a 8-year deal in 2014 that lasted to 2021. It possible that agreement was extended to 2025 to match the new bowl agreements, but I have not seen anything in writing confirming that.

"The Big Ten’s current agreement with the Pinstripe Bowl, which runs through 2021, has also been extended through 2025."

Quote:Whatever the deal, I predict the Big Ten won't be renewing it after 2025.

Well, that doesn't bode well for the fate of a P5 vs G5 game in Boston, does it?

EDIT: In 2015, Penn State and Indiana were both 6-6 in the regular season. Penn State went to the (Gator) Bowl, Indiana went to the Pinstripe. So much for the idea that Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State would be good Pinstripe candidates because of proximity.

(07-13-2019 03:59 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  The Miami Beach Bowl lasted 3 years before the AAC threw in the towel and sold the bowl to ESPN. How long until the ACC and Fenway wave the white flag and move this game somewhere else in the generously-defined ACC footprint?

UConn's joining the Big East highlights the headwinds this bowl faces. Not that they were counting on UConn to fill the stands, but it points out the CFB-unfriendliness of the northeast, coupled with weather questions. Yes the Pinstripe Bowl is a success, but that's always been a BCS-leagues or P5-P5 matchup, and Boston doesn't have Broadway. Boston has attractions, but I don't know how attractive they are the week between Christmas and New Years.

So is the over/under on the Fenway Park bowl 3 years before they part ways with Fenway and move this game somewhere warm?

EDIT: Maybe to Georgia State's stadium at Turner Field?

Im pretty sure other than signing the standard conference tie agreement with the Fenway Park Bowl, I dont think the ACC or AAC has much to with it. Im pretty sure ESPN owns it---but its entirely possible the Red Sox Organization may be a partner as well. All the news articles say ESPN will "run" the game. I assume that means own it---but again---I suppose it even possible the Red Sox own it and the day to day operations have just been contracted out to ESPN. I guess we will see how it works out. Interestingly, when the original stories for 2020-2025 bowls broke via McMurphy---It was Wrigley Field that was supposed to be the iconic baseball venue to be awarded a bowl game. Alot of the success will depend on the date ESPN gives the game. Typically, the Miami Beach Bowl was given an early afternoon 2pm start on a weekday 2 or 3 days prior to Christmas. It was basically a work day for most people---with a 2pm kickoff----shocking that it did poorly. If Fenway gets a similar time---it wont last long either.


https://www.boston.com/sports/college-sp...or-2020-25

(07-13-2019 05:35 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Im pretty sure other than signing the standard conference tie agreement with the Fenway Park Bowl, I dont think the AAC has much to with it. Im pretty sure ESPN owns it---but its entirely possible the Red Sox Organization may be a partner as well.

Fenway Sports Management and the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Thursday that Fenway Park will host a new bowl game, starting in 2020.


Atlantic Coast Conference, not American Athletic Conference. I'd expect that the Aresco League could hold the Tobacco Road League to the tie-in agreement, but I don't think the American would be able to squawk if the game is in a different location.

Indianapolis could be in play for the Fenway Bowl, especially given the proximity to Louisville (ACC) and Cincinnati (AAC). If you don't land Louisville, you're then looking at Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech, and Notre Dame as nearby options out of the ACC. Of course, the plan would be to upgrade to a Big 10/ACC matchup.

Minneapolis would be a less favorable destination, but they certainly have the infrastructure to support a cold weather bowl game.

(07-13-2019 05:41 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(07-13-2019 05:35 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Im pretty sure other than signing the standard conference tie agreement with the Fenway Park Bowl, I dont think the AAC has much to with it. Im pretty sure ESPN owns it---but its entirely possible the Red Sox Organization may be a partner as well.

Fenway Sports Management and the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Thursday that Fenway Park will host a new bowl game, starting in 2020.


Atlantic Coast Conference, not American Athletic Conference. I'd expect that the Aresco League could hold the Tobacco Road League to the tie-in agreement, but I don't think the American would be able to squawk if the game is in a different location.

They dont own it either. Dont think either could or would attempt to get out of the deal if it gets moved. Its not like there will be any better options available in the middle of a bowl cycle. Other than moving it to ACC member school---where else could it realistically be placed in the ACC footprint that doesnt already have a bowl?

(07-13-2019 05:35 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  EDIT: In 2015, Penn State and Indiana were both 6-6 in the regular season. Penn State went to the (Gator) Bowl, Indiana went to the Pinstripe. So much for the idea that Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State would be good Pinstripe candidates because of proximity.

Penn State was in the Pinstripe Bowl the year prior (2014).

The B1G had/has a stated goal of placing 6 different teams in the Pinstripe Bowl in the 2014-2019 era. Which would have influenced PSU's trip to Jacksonville in 2015.

I'm not sure the "6 teams in 6 years idea" is a good idea. As you said, certain teams (Rutgers, Maryland, PSU) are better suited toward NYC than others.

In the 2016 Bowls, Maryland went to Detroit and Northwestern went to NYC ..... both schools were 6-6 in the regular season ..... arguably, the reverse would have been better. Perhaps the Pinstripe Bowl lobbied to "save" Maryland for a later year given they already had a Northeast team (Pittsburgh) playing in NYC that year.

(07-13-2019 04:05 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  Probably not long. I hear its a monster to coordinate.

There's green involved, though.

I love the pinstripe bowl. It's well attended and are for the most part competitive. Only two games have been won by more than 2 TD's and in 2 other years the game went to OT. Not bad for a 9 game stretch. It has also hosted a good collection of P5 teams. The field fits better in the new yankees stadium way better than it fit in at wrigley.

(07-13-2019 06:22 PM)Nittany_Bearcat Wrote:  

(07-13-2019 05:35 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  EDIT: In 2015, Penn State and Indiana were both 6-6 in the regular season. Penn State went to the (Gator) Bowl, Indiana went to the Pinstripe. So much for the idea that Rutgers, Maryland, Penn State would be good Pinstripe candidates because of proximity.

Penn State was in the Pinstripe Bowl the year prior (2014).

Thanks, dunno how I missed that--it was on the same wikipedia page I saw Indiana's 2015 Pinstripe Bowl.

(07-13-2019 04:05 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  Probably not long. I hear its a monster to coordinate.

You are green with envy

Seriously, not sure it can last but the Red Sox don't want to fail where the Yankees are actually prospering with a pretty well attended bowl game.

The arrogance of the Red Sox thinking they could get this bowl in the same tier as the Pinstripe...

Even if BC or Cuse get the bowl, I can't see more than 5000 Eagle or Orange fans wanting to buy overpriced tickets to sit in 30 degree weather.

Send this game to Miami or Boca and it thrives with an ACC sponsorship.

I’m a fan of an ACC team and someone who feels very strongly that Boston is one of America’s greatest cities. If given the choice, I would go to Boston ahead of New York 10 out of 10 times…but not in the wintertime. As such, I have no interest in attending this bowl game.

I would much rather of the ACC look at developing games in Charleston or Savannah or Myrtle Beach or even the Caribbean.

If I’m going to fly somewhere to watch a college football game in the winter, I don’t want to go even further north.

The game in Toronto was a failure. I can see Boston joining it.

If I lived up north, the last thing I’d want is to be “rewarded” with a game in Boston, Detroit even NYC in December. I can understand the allure of Christmas and New Year’s in New York but I’d rather go to L.A., Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Diego, San Antonio, New Orleans, Miami, Tampa or Orlando if given the choice.

I don’t know if Cancun would be a viable place for a game. It used to host the Aztec Bowl between the Mexican college champ and Div III players. Now it rotates between Chihuahua, Monterrey and Mexico City.

Cancun suffers from a passport issue for fans. Theoretically every ACC Football team and staff would need to insure they have passports at the beginning of the season.

I’m against all these cold weather bowls as well as the tiny town bowls. Pick a few destination cities with a history of hosting bowls and have them host 2 or 3 bowls over the course of a few days. Create an opportunity for fans to travel to a tourist friendly city with plenty of hotels and stuff to do and give them the unprecedented opportunity to watch multiple games over a short period of time. Think March Madness for CFB

I think it will last the whole six years at Boston due to the ACC commitment. As for the next cycle, that depends how the next CFP goes. If it stays at 4 and the B10 were to gain a bowl spot. I could see this become an ACC/B10 bowl in the next cycle.

(07-14-2019 11:08 AM)TexanMark Wrote:  

(07-13-2019 04:05 PM)THUNDERStruck73 Wrote:  Probably not long. I hear its a monster to coordinate.

You are green with envy

Seriously, not sure it can last but the Red Sox don't want to fail where the Yankees are actually prospering with a pretty well attended bowl game.

The arrogance of the Red Sox thinking they could get this bowl in the same tier as the Pinstripe...

Even if BC or Cuse get the bowl, I can't see more than 5000 Eagle or Orange fans wanting to buy overpriced tickets to sit in 30 degree weather.

Send this game to Miami or Boca and it thrives with an ACC sponsorship.

Just give it to UCONN even if they’re 1-11 vs BC regardless of record. Then follow that up with SUNY vs UMASS. Call it the Twofer Bowl.