Empty Bowls: College Football’s Postseason

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st pete bowlYou asked it at some point this holiday season, right? “How many of these damn college bowl games are there?” Well, there’s 39 – yes, 39 – and most of them are on ESPN’s family of networks. There were only five in operation when World War II broke out, and that number barely doubled by the bicentennial. But by the time the BCS came around in 1998, there were 22, and when ESPN purchased the Las Vegas Bowl in 2001, there were 25. ESPN’s responsible for most of the “bowl binge” since then, with 11 bowls now run by a company called ESPN Events. The original concept of the postseason bowl, which started with the Rose Bowl Game, was to showcase a warm-weather city in the dead of winter. This tourism-based initiative continued with the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Cotton Bowl. But now there are bowls in New York and Detroit, also this year they added one in the Bahamas, and there’s talk of restarting one in Toronto and adding more in Ireland and Dubai.

So why are there all these bowls now? Well, as ESPN’s involvement shows, it’s TV programming. When people criticize the empty seats, the common retort is “Well, this is for television.” So the networks like it, and the conferences like it because each bowl pays out for each team. The check can vary from millions for the big bowls to less than half-a-million for the smaller ones (including ESPN’s). That money is divided up amongst each school in the conference, so the schools like that, and they also claim the experience as a promotional opportunity. The coaches and athletic directors use it as reasons for bonuses, or sometimes even a reason to keep their job. The bowls also make dough through corporate sponsorships and ticket sales, and like the NFL, they operate as non-profit charities.

But not everything’s a win-win. That promotional opportunity for the schools comes at a cost: they have to ship a team of 85 scholarship players (plus walk-ons), coaches, trainers, and student assistants to the game, plus all their equipment, marching bands, cheerleaders, and mascots. Even with the bowl providing some money for travel, that can get pretty expensive. Plus, each school is required to purchase a large amount of tickets, and it’s their job to sell items to their fans. Besides the cost of tickets, the high cost of flights and hotel rooms make it hard on fans and students who are already paying high prices for home games. That, and the fact that not all these games are in glamorous places, makes for some empty damn stadiums. And bowl committees have factored in a school’s perceived ability to sell in team selections before. That means some of these teams have earned a bowl spot based not on their performance, but rather the deepness of their fans’ pockets. In the end, most schools don’t even make a profit in their bowl trip: they mostly excuse this as a cost of doing business. Meanwhile, the college football establishment insists compensation for athletes is completely impossible.

So fell free to scroll through the deceptive attendance figures and vacant grandstands below. Most of the pictures come from Empty Seats Galore (@emptyseatspics), an aggregating Twitter account of pictures of empty sporting events. And next year, when you ask yourself again “Why are there all these bowl games?”, you’ll remember: “Well, it takes a rube…”

New Mexico Bowl

20th December
Sponsored Name: Gildan New Mexico Bowl
Stadium: University Stadium (Albuquerque)
Teams: Utah State (9-4, Mountain West), Texas-El Paso (7-5, C-USA)
TV: ESPN
Result: Utah State 21, UTEP 6
Capacity: 39,224
Announced Attendance: 28,275
Notes: ESPN Events bowl. Held at University of New Mexico’s stadium. Also, images of this bowl’s attendance were compared on social media to the Texas high school state championships at JerryWorld, which reported an attendance of over 50,000.

Humanitarian Bowl

20th December
Sponsored Name: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Stadium: Albertsons Stadium (Boise, ID)
Teams: Western Michigan (8-4, MAC), Air Force (9-3, Mountain West)
TV: ESPN
Result: Western Michigan 24, Air Force 38
Capacity: 36,387
Announced Attendance: 18,233
Notes: ESPN Events bowl. Held on Boise State’s famous Smurf Turf.

Miami Beach Bowl

22nd December
Sponsored Name: None
Stadium: Marlins Park (converted to football)
Teams: BYU (8-5, Independent), Memphis (10-3, American)
TV: ESPN
Result: BYU 48, Memphis 55 (2OT)
Capacity: 36,742
Announced Attendance: 20,761
Notes: Held on Monday afternoon, folks became aware of it mostly because of the brawl at the end.

Boca Raton Bowl

23rd December
Sponsored Name: None
Stadium: FAU Stadium
Teams: Marshall (10-1, C-USA), Northern Illinois (11-2, MAC)
TV: ESPN
Result: Marshall 52, Northern Illinois 23
Capacity: 29,419
Announced Attendance: 29,419
Notes: ESPN Events bowl. Held at FAU’s home stadium, which almost had its naming rights sold to a corporate prison group until the school declined following student outrage.

Bahamas Bowl

24th December
Sponsored Name: Popeyes Bahamas Bowl
Stadium: Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium
Teams: Central Michigan (7-5, MAC), Western Kentucky (7-5, C-USA)
TV: ESPN
Result: Central Michigan 48, WKU 49
Capacity: 15,023
Announced Attendance: 13,667
Notes: Being sponsored by Popeyes, they tested new ghost pepper-flavored wings on the spectators.

Hawaii Bowl

24th December
Sponsored Name: None
Stadium: Aloha Stadium
Teams: Fresno State (6-7, Mountain West), Rice (7-5, C-USA)
TV: ESPN
Result: Fresno State 6, Rice 30
Capacity: 50,000
Announced Attendance: 25,365
Notes: ESPN Events bowl. Not to be confused with the Poi Bowl, Pineapple Bowl, Aloha Bowl, or Oahu Bowl, the other Hawaii-based bowls that either folded or moved to the mainland.

Heart Of Dallas Bowl

26th December
Sponsored Name: Zaxby’s Heart Of Dallas Bowl
Stadium: Cotton Bowl
Teams: Illinois (6-6, Big Ten), Louisiana Tech (8-5, C-USA)
TV: ESPN
Result: Illinois 18, Louisiana Tech 35
Capacity: 92,100
Announced Attendance: 31,297
Notes: ESPN Events bowl. Replaced the original Cotton Bowl game, which moved to JerryWorld in 2011 for more cash.

Detroit Lions Bowl

26th December
Sponsored Name: Quick Lane Bowl (only official name used)
Stadium: Ford Field
Teams: Rutgers (7-5, Big Ten), North Carolina (6-6, ACC)
TV: ESPN
Result: Rutgers 40, UNC 21
Capacity: 50,000
Announced Attendance: 25,365
Notes: Not to be confused with Motor City Bowl, which was kicked out by the Lions last year and replaced with their own bowl. Motor City Bowl (also known as Little Caesars Pizza Bowl) hoped to play in the Tigers’ open-air ballpark until plans fell through.

St. Petersburg Bowl

26th December
Sponsored Name: Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl
Stadium: Tropicana Field (modified for football)
Teams: NC State (7-5, ACC), Central Florida (9-3, American)
TV: ESPN
Result: NCST 34, UCF 27
Capacity: 42,735
Announced Attendance: 26,675
Notes: ESPN Events bowl. UCF is from nearby Orlando.

Sun Bowl

27th December
Sponsored Name: Hyundai Sun Bowl
Stadium: Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso)
Teams: Duke (9-3, ACC), Arizona State (9-3, Pac-12)
TV: CBS
Result: Duke 31, Arizona State 36
Capacity: 51,500
Announced Attendance: 47,809
Notes: Believe it or not, this is actually one of the second oldest bowls, tied with the Orange and Sugar Bowls behind the Rose Bowl Game.

Independence Bowl

27th December
Sponsored Name: Duck Commander Independence Bowl
Stadium: Independence Stadium (Shreveport, LA)
Teams: Miami (6-6, ACC), South Carolina (6-6, SEC)
TV: ABC
Result: Miami 21, South Carolina 24
Capacity: 49,427
Announced Attendance: 38,242
Notes: In the weeks prior to the bowl, SiriusXM’s Tim Brando defended his hometown from ESPN HOT TAKES saying that no one ever wants to go to Shreveport. The Independence Bowl is one of the bowls that ESPN does not own.

Liberty Bowl

29th December
Sponsored Name: AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Stadium: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (Memphis, TN)
Teams: Texas A&M (7-5, SEC), West Virginia (7-5, Big 12)
TV: ESPN
Result: Texas A&M 45, WVU 37
Capacity: 59,308
Announced Attendance: 51,282
Notes: Seventh-oldest bowl, originally started in Philadelphia.

Tangerine Bowl

29th December
Sponsored Name: Russell Athletic Bowl
Stadium: Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium
Teams: Oklahoma (8-4, Big 12), Clemson (9-3, ACC)
TV: ESPN
Result: Oklahoma 6, Clemson 40
Capacity: 61,308
Announced Attendance: 40,071
Notes: Started in Miami, moved to Orlando in 2000’s. Now run by same authority that runs Citrus Bowl. Next year, there will be a third bowl game in this stadium.

Music City Bowl

30th December
Sponsored Name: Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Stadium: LP Field
Teams: Notre Dame (7-5, Independent), LSU (8-4, SEC)
TV: ESPN
Result: ND 31, LSU 28
Capacity: 69,143
Announced Attendance: 60,419

Queen City Bowl

30th December
Sponsored Name: Belk Bowl
Stadium: Bank Of America Stadium
Teams: Georgia (9-3, SEC), Louisville (9-3, ACC)
TV: ESPN
Result: Georgia 34, Louisville 17
Capacity: 74,435
Announced Attendance: 45,671

San Francisco Bowl

30th December
Sponsored Name: Foster Farms Bowl
Stadium: Levi’s Stadium
Teams: Maryland (7-5, Big Ten), Stanford (7-5, Pac-12)
TV: ABC
Result: Maryland 21, Stanford 45
Capacity: 68,500
Announced Attendance: 34,780
Notes: Previously held at the Giants’ ballpark.

Peach Bowl

31st December
Sponsored Name: Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl
Stadium: Georgia Dome
Teams: Ole Miss (9-3, SEC), Texas Christian (11-1, Big 12)
TV: ESPN
Result: Miss 3, TCU 42
Capacity: 74,228
Announced Attendance: 65,706
Notes: First year as a member if New Year’s 6, the six bowls that are a part of the College Football Playoff.

Orange Bowl

31st December
Sponsored Name: Capital One Orange Bowl
Stadium: Sun Life Stadium
Teams: Mississippi State (10-2, SEC), Georgia Tech (10-3, ACC)
TV: ESPN
Result: Miss St 34, Georgia Tech 49
Capacity: 75,540
Announced Attendance: 58,211
Notes: First year as a New Year’s 6 Bowl, formerly a BCS Bowl.

Hall Of Fame Bowl

1st January
Sponsored Name: Outback Bowl
Stadium: Raymond James Stadium
Teams: Auburn (8-4, SEC), Wisconsin (9-3, Big Ten)
TV: ESPN2
Result: Auburn 31, Wisconsin 34 (OT)
Capacity: 65,890
Announced Attendance: 44,023
Notes: Inherited bowl from Birmingham, Alabama, which was named after the College Football Hall Of Fame.

Fort Worth Bowl

2nd January
Sponsored Name: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Stadium: Amon G. Carter Stadium
Teams: Houston (7-5, American, Pittsburgh (6-6, ACC)
TV: ESPN
Result: Houston 35, Pittsburgh 34
Capacity: 45,000
Announced Attendance: 37,888
Notes: ESPN Events bowl. Third year at TCU’s home stadium. Also held in same state as Houston.

Cactus Bowl

2nd January
Sponsored Name: TicketCity Cactus Bowl
Stadium: Sun Devil Stadium
Teams: Washington (8-5, Pac-12), Oklahoma State (6-6, Big 12)
TV: ESPN
Result: Washington 22, Oklahoma State 30
Capacity: 65,870
Announced Attendance: 35,549
Notes: Operated by Fiesta Bowl. Moved from the Diamondbacks’ ballpark after the Fiesta Bowl moved to the new Cardinals stadium.

Birmingham Bowl

3rd January
Sponsored Name: None
Stadium: Legion Field
Teams: East Carolina (8-5, American), Florida (7-5, SEC)
TV: ESPN
Result: ECU 20, Florida 28
Capacity: 71,594
Announced Attendance: 30,083
Notes: ESPN Events bowl.

Mobile Alabama Bowl

4th January
Sponsored Name: GoDaddy Bowl
Stadium: Ladd Peebles Stadium
Teams: Toledo (8-4, MAC), Arkansas State (7-5, Sun Belt)
TV: ESPN
Result: Toledo 63, Arkansas State 44
Capacity: 40,000
Announced Attendance: 36,811
Notes: Last bowl to be played before national championship.

 

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Stewart Smith

Contributor for The Interrobang, well-meaning arsehole, aspiring show pony.
Stewart Smith

Stewart Smith

Contributor for The Interrobang, well-meaning arsehole, aspiring show pony.