The Celebration Continues
A
s we reflect on the 2024-25 Bowl Season, we are reminded once again of the continued importance of this cherished tradition. Every year, Bowl Season is more than just a culmination of the college football season. It’s a celebration of the players, the teams, the communities, and the fans who bring this game to life in ways that no other event in sports can match.
We were pleased to see that despite some predictions of a decline in fan interest due to the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, the relevance and excitement surrounding this year’s games only grew. Television ratings surged 14% year-over-year, marking the highest viewership since 2019. Fans embraced the matchups and the games, reaffirming that Bowl Season is a beloved tradition that still captures the imagination of college football fans everywhere.
We saw the very best athletes in college football take part, with each of the top 10 Heisman Trophy votegetters opting-in to their respective bowl games. Their commitment to playing in these games showcased the true essence of Bowl Season — a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete, showcase their talent, and enjoy one final moment with their teammates.
Season is all about: qualifying and winning their non-CFP bowl game, participating in a community service activity during bowl week, and having the most fans participate in the Pick’em Game. We look forward to seeing this exciting new tradition continue for years to come.
“This year made it clear that Bowl Season remains not only an important part of college football’s rich history, but also, it’s future.”
This year we launched the first official Bowl Season Pick’em Game which added to the excitement. Fans were able to participate by predicting the winners of all 47 postseason games for a chance to win prizes. This kept fans engaged from start to finish, feeding into the first-ever Bowl Season Team Challenge.
The Nebraska Cornhuskers were the first winners of this challenge, recognizing them as the program that best embodied what Bowl
This year made it clear that Bowl Season remains not only an important part of college football’s rich history, but also, it’s future. Even as the sport evolves, its enduring appeal and cultural significance remains intact. It continues to capture the heart of college football, providing a memorable close to a season full of passion, competition, and camaraderie.
Bowl Season is truly an annual celebration of college football, and we look forward to celebrating this great game for many years to come.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
Nick Carparelli Executive Director Bowl Season
ABOUT BOWL SEASON
EXECUTIVE COMMMITTEE
John Saccenti CHAIR
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Danny Morrison VICE CHAIR Duke's Mayo Bowl
Jeff Siembieda SECRETARY
Isleta New Mexico Bowl
Sherrie Dyal AT-LARGE 68 Ventures Bowl
Jeff Hundley PAST CHAIR
Allstate Sugar Bowl
Derrick Fox TREASURER Valero Alamo Bowl
Erik Moses AT-LARGE Vrbo Fiesta Bowl & Rate Bowl
Steve Beck
IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Go Bowling Military Bowl
Mark Neville PAST CHAIR DIRECTV Holiday Bowl
VISION
Bowl Season is an annual celebration of college football.
MISSION GAME PLAN
Bowl Season promotes the game of college football by providing meaningful experiences and life-long memories for players, coaches, fans, universities and communities across the country.
The Association
Bowl Season serves as the collective association of every college football bowl game and serves its membership by focusing on:
• Communication and advocacy with the stakeholders in college football.
• Creating operational efficiencies by expanding business relationships, forming strategic partnerships and enhancing professional development opportunities.
• Revenue generation through corporate partnerships and the creation and development of new assets.
The Time of Year
Bowl Season is a time of year when American sports fans celebrate the game of college football. Beginning in mid-December and running through early January, we use this platform to:
• Communicate how meaningful bowl games are to everyone involved by acting as the leading voice for college football’s postseason.
• Market the games and sport to the millions of fans who love college football through strategic and creative initiatives.
• Promote the value that bowl games provide to the sport, its stakeholders, participants and host communities.
2024-25 BOWL SEASON
BY THE NUMBERS
$100M 95M
DISTRIBUTED TO PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS
TOTAL TV VIEWERSHIP
across the 36 non-CFP bowl games.
BOWL SEASON BOWL SEASON BOWL SEASON BOWL SEASON
166.7M
SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS
5.3M
TOTAL LISTENERS
21
BOWLS AIRED
on SiriusXM satellite radio and streamed live on TuneIn, Audacy, and The Varsity Network apps.
BOWL GAME ATTENDANCE
A BOWL SEASON PODCAST
SEVEN
EPISODES
CLIPS: 209.8K
2.7M $1.1M
Any Given Season across the 36 non-CFP bowl games.
10K 12.3K 1.5M
AVERAGE TV VIEWERSHIP DONATED TO EXTRA YARD FOR TEACHERS
BOWL BOUND SHIRTS DISTRIBUTED
PLAYERS OPT-IN
FOURTY-FIVE INCLUDING TWO ALL-STAR GAMES AND THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
BOWL
GAMES
122 YEARS OF HISTORY
Only in Bowl Season
This year’s Bowl Season proved that the magic of bowl games doesn’t end with the final quarter — the buzz around creative marketing and celebrations keeps the hype going long after the last whistle.
From the unforgettable Mayo Dump featuring Flavor Flav at the Duke's Mayo Bowl to the return of devouring the edible mascot at the Pop-Tarts Bowl, these moments became as iconic as the games themselves. The DIRECTV Holiday Bowl stunned a celebrating Syracuse team with an Eggnog Dump, while the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl brought back the classic Cheez-It shower, paired with live wedding nuptials. The sidelines were star-studded, including the Valero Alamo Bowl and the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop
But the creativity didn’t stop there — the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl ended with a French Fry Bath, and the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl brought their own twist by showering the winning coach with Cold Brew Coffee Dump. The Pop-Tarts Bowl went even further than the final celebration, unveiling a sprinkle designed sideline and a fully functional toaster trophy, all teased with a creative Oppenheimer-inspired video. The Pop-Tarts Bowl wasn’t the only bowl "eating the mascot" — Notre Dame also tasted sweet victory after a thrilling Capital One Orange Bowl win. No one can forget the Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl end zones paying homage to Tampa’s beloved Gasparilla Pirate Festival. Showing just how entrenched bowl games are in the culture of their host cities.
These bowls took marketing to the next level, creating celebrations fans won’t forget.
BOWLS BUILD MOMENTUM FOR PROGRAMS
Playing in a bowl game is a pivotal milestone for a college football program, offering significant benefits that extend into the next season. Bowl games provide teams with additional practices, crucial for player development, especially for younger athletes who gain valuable experience in a competitive environment. A strong bowl performance can build momentum and confidence, setting a positive tone for the offseason. This rings true in the cases of Vanderbilt (Birmingham Bowl), UConn (Wasabi Fenway Bowl), Nebraska (Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl), and Army (Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl).
MEMPHIS STREAKS, UNLV BREAKS DROUGHT
The Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl extended Memphis' impressive streak, giving the Tigers a win in their 11th consecutive bowl appearance. Meanwhile, UNLV shattered a 23-year drought with a win at the Art of Sport LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk, capping a historic 11-3 season and achieving their first 11-win campaign in 40 years. The last time UNLV won a bowl game only a single member of their current roster was alive, quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams.
OVERTIME THRILLERS SET NEW RECORDS
Bowl Season delivered back-to-back overtime spectacles that rewrote the record books. The Hawai’i Bowl captivated fans with a jaw-dropping five-overtime match. Remarkably, just two days later, the GameAbove Sports Bowl outdid it, going an unprecedented six overtimes to claim the title of longest bowl game in history. These instant classics will be remembered as some of the most dramatic moments in bowl history.
UCONN
ARMY VANDERBILT NEBRASKA
There is no sports organization that is as dedicated to supporting teachers, coaches, and students as the College Football Playoff Foundation. Bowl Season partnership has played a significant role in reaching and positively impacting communities throughout the country.
In the past four years, every bowl game has participated in the BIG DAY for Teachers program to honor teachers, the Touchdown for Teachers post-season initiative to deliver more resources to teachers and coaches, and numerous bowl games have taken advantage of the Extra Yard for Teachers grant-matching program to further support teachers in their markets.
$25M+
INVESTED IN RESOURCES AND PROGRAMMING
Since 2014, empowering educators through the College Football Playoff Foundation’s grant matching partnerships with Bowl Season and the Touchdown for Teachers initiative.
Sharing Bowl Season Spirit
Bowl Season's role in the business of sports was a consistent topic shown by the $517.5M in earned media in 2024.
BOWL CHALLENGE CUP
The Bowl Challenge Cup is a competition between the FBS conferences and the conference that has the highest winning percentage in bowl games wins the Challenge. Only the quarterfinal and semifinal games of the College Football Playoff will count towards the conference records for the Bowl Challenge Cup.
American Athletic Conference teams went 6-2 in bowl games, scoring wins against opponents from the SEC, Big 12, ACC, Mountain West, Sun Belt and Conference USA. The .750 winning percentage leaves The American atop the Bowl Challenge Cup standings. The American’s eight bowl-eligible teams and six bowl wins are both the most in the conference's 12-year history. This year marks the first time that The American has won the Bowl Challenge Cup.
BowlSeason.com
ince its inception in 2020, BowlSeason.com has taken a step each year towards solidifying itself as the one-stop shop for all things post season college football. BowlSeason.com is the ultimate destination for college football fans, offering comprehensive coverage throughout bowl season. From detailed schedules and in-depth team previews to exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes content, BowlSeason.com keeps you informed and engaged.
Five Seasons Strong
owl Season’s Publications included both the Kickoff e-newsletter and the official Bowl Season Media Guide, which completed their fifth season in 2024-25. Our distribution base saw substantial growth, now with more than 98,573 total sends through five publications via proactive efforts and signups. We’d like to give special recognition to Kevin McNamara, who did a great job as our lead writer for content and coverage.
The Bowl Season Media Guide is a go-to resource for media and fans, offering in-depth coverage and
166.7M IMPRESSIONS
Campaigns
Bowl Bound Grid
3.5M IMPRESSIONS
193.7K LIKES
Selection Sunday Matchups
4.1M
IMPRESSIONS
2.8M INTERACTIONS
90 days
Graphic God Uniform (Cross-platform)
1.4M IMPRESSIONS
6.1M IMPRESSIONS
313.9K LIKES
National Champion (Cross-platform)
121.2K IMPRESSIONS 6.7K LIKES
34.6K IMPRESSIONS 2.1K INTERACTIONS
563.5K IMPRESSIONS
41K INTERACTIONS
ANY GIVEN SEASON PODCAST
Our re-branded podcast broadening our coverage to include all things college football. With a name refresh and an expanded vision, the podcast delivers exclusive interviews with top guests and insider insights, keeping fans engaged every step of the season.
PLAY-BY-PLAY FOR 21 BOWL GAMES
Bowl Season aired on terrestrial radio stations throughout the country, as well as SiriusXM satellite radio. In addition, the games streamed live on TuneIn, Audacy, and The Varsity Network apps. It is estimated that 5.25M listeners enjoyed Bowl Season radio across all broadcasts.
Predict,
Play and Win Big!
The inaugural Bowl Season Pick’em game saw high levels of engagement and excited as fans had the ability to predict bowl game outcomes and rank their confidence in each matchup for the first time ever. In the first year of the game, there were 6,814 total registrations, with the South Carolina Gamecocks, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Alabama Crimson Tide leading in fan participation. The Nebraska Cornhuskers, Texas Longhorns, and Michigan Wolverines also had strong numbers of fan engaging and making their picks throughout the season. This initiative was launched in partnership with Genius Sports. Along with selecting winning teams and ranking them, the innovative Team Challenge added excitement, rewarding schools based on fan participation, bowl victories and community service. This event marked an exciting step forward in creating a more interactive experience for college football fans.
TOP FAN PARTICIPATION
South Carolina Gamecocks
Ohio State Buckeyes
Alabama Crimson Tide
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Texas Longhorns
Michigan Wolverines
Tennessee Volunteers
Georgia Bulldogs
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
LSU Tigers
TEAM CHALLENGE WINNER
In its inaugural year, the Bowl Season Team Challenge was designed to recognize the college football program each year that best embodies what bowl season is all about — On-Field Success, Community Service and Fan Engagement. The Nebraska Cornhuskers and their dedicated fanbase have made history as the first-ever winners of the Bowl Season Team Challenge. Their postseason success did not end with a 20-15 victory over Boston College in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. The Huskers’ remarkable performance on and off the field secured them as the inaugural Team Challenge champions, marking a major milestone in Bowl Season history.
CONGRATS!
The Bowl Bound Shirt Program, run by Bowl Season, is a unique initiative that celebrates the achievement of college football teams earning a coveted spot in a postseason bowl game. This program provides officially licensed “Bowl Bound” t-shirts for student-athletes, coaches, and fans, allowing them to proudly display their team's success. The shirts are designed with the team’s branding and the Bowl Season logo, capturing the excitement and pride that comes with qualifying for a bowl game. By providing these shirts upon a team’s sixth win, the program enhances the postseason experience and creates a unified sense of accomplishment for everyone involved.
The initiative not only rewards the hard work and dedication of the athletes but also builds anticipation for bowl season, emphasizing the tradition and excitement that make college football so special. Through this program, Bowl Season continues its mission to honor the significance of postseason play, while creating lasting memories for teams and fans alike. The phrase “Bowl Bound” has become a household moniker in large part to our Bowl Bound shirt program.
It Wouldn’t Be Bowl Season Without Bowling
MOST-WATCHED NON-CFP BOWLS
The 36 non-CFP bowl games across ESPN networks, ABC, FOX, CBS and CW Network averaged 2.7M viewers, marking a 14% year-over-year increase and the largest audience since the 2019-20 season.
Best in Events
WINNER:
UNION HOME MORTGAGE
GASPARILLA BOWL
Best in Student-Athlete Experience
WINNER:
VRBO FIESTA BOWL
Best in Community Engagement
WINNER:
TAXSLAYER GATOR BOWL
Best in Marketing WINNER:
DUKE’S MAYO BOWL
Best in Game Presentation
WINNER: POP-TARTS BOWL
The Wright Waters Legacy Award
Bill Hancock
The Champions Award
Bob Bowlsby and Chuck Neinas
Bowl Season Leadership Hall of Fame
CLASS OF 2024
Pete Derzis, ESPN Events; Dr. Morrison Warren, Fiesta Bowl; Fred Smith, Liberty Bowl; and Keith Tribble, Orange Bowl.
Shaping the Future of Bowl Games
The 2024 Bowl Season Annual Meeting was held at Hotel Paso Del Notre and the El Paso Convention Center in Downtown El Paso last April. The only time and place that the entire bowl industry comes together each year, every bowl game had representatives on hand, along with conference office staff, television executives, corporate partners and vendors, and everyone who does business with bowl games.
The 2025 Annual Meeting will be held April 14-17 in Las Vegas. The 2026 event is scheduled for San Antonio, Texas, followed by New Orleans in 2027 and Washington DC in 2028.
