BOWL SEASON OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2020
‘New’ Bowl Season brand brings with it 100 years of college football tradition By KEVIN McNAMARA
T
he American sporting landscape annually
But what about the teams that pushed those
rallies around the Super Bowl, the World Series,
Final Four on all those Fall Saturdays? They don’t put
the NBA and NHL playoffs, the World Cup and
away the pads, return to class and wait ’till next year.
March Madness.
They prepare for meaningful games that captivate
Now there is a push for a renewed focus on another
fans in markets around the country. Host cities and
prominent portion of the sports calendar, one that’s
bowl committees work all year long to make sure
been serving up memorable moments for over a
student-athletes, coaches, parents and fans enjoy
century. As fall ends and winter’s chill arrives, the buzz touches every corner of the country, from the Northeast to Los Angeles, the Midwest to Miami. It’s one loyal sports fans have followed for years, generations even.
“We believe college football’s postseason is unlike any other in sports, embracing grand tradition and bringing enduring value to student-athletes.” – NICK CARPARELLI
Bowl Season Executive Director
It’s Bowl Season. When the college football fan thinks about the
an unforgettable experience. Recordsetting numbers of TV viewers who can’t get enough football annually tune in. It’s Bowl Season. Now there is a new focus to highlight the bowl games that make up college football’s
postseason. It’s called, quite appropriately, Bowl
postseason, the focus understandably turns to the
Season. Get ready, because you’re going to hear the
College Football Playoff. The national semifinals and
term a lot.
title game showcase the crème de la crème, the top four teams fighting for a national championship.
“You’re going to see it everywhere, all season, and especially during Bowl Season itself,” said Nick BOWL SEASON | November 2020
1
Carparelli, the new executive director of Bowl
possibilities excited the group because, as Carparelli
Season — an organization that until this rebrand was
said, “it’s not every day that you have an opportunity
known as the Football Bowl Association. “We believe
to launch a major sports brand.”
college football’s postseason is unlike any other in
Crafting the message was vital, but ultimately
sports, embracing grand tradition and bringing
quite simple. After tossing about many options, Marc
enduring value to student-athletes.”
‘Jake’ Jacobson of 1919 Productions and Carparelli
Carparelli owns a long history in college football, first working in operations at Syracuse and Notre Dame before jumping to the NFL and helping Bill
settled on the term that everyone kept coming back to: Bowl Season. “In hindsight, the name ‘Bowl Season’ was a no-
Belichick get his Super Bowl dynasty rolling in New
brainer,” Carparelli said. “In the end we didn’t want
England. For 10 years he ran the football side of
to out-smart ourselves. We felt the Bowl Season
the Big East Conference and received a first-hand
name captured our new identity perfectly and speaks
glimpse inside the bowl system. Carparelli helped
directly to those who love the sport.”
create the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium and the
A tag line put the bow on the package. Jacobson’s
St. Petersburg Bowl and owns a unique perspective
group came up with ‘A Celebration of College
on just what the true meaning of the bowls can be.
Football,’ a phrase that brings the entire post-season
“Bowl games have been around for 100 years
together in one unifying package, from the Music
and there are so many great stories to tell about the
City and Citrus to the Sugar and Rose Bowls. Sports
tremendous players and coaches involved over those
brand designer Joe Bosack led the way with the
decades of competition,“ he said. “I felt we needed a
development of the new identity. The new icon
platform to share those stories and all of the positives
Bosack created features a bowl-shaped stadium that
that these meaningful matchups generate.”
offers a nod to the shape of a bowl game ring. Bosack also incorporated the icon into promotional animation videos and other eye-popping designs. “That’s our message, our hook, that grounds everything,” Jacobson said. “That collective voice for all of the bowls owns strength.” Bowl Season will be featured on college football Saturday’s throughout the fall and emphasized once the
LAUNCH: The Bowl Season brand is officially launched in Times Square.
bowl games actually kick off in December. The web address
A 12-person Working Group of representatives
BowlSeason.com will serve as a promotional home
from the bowl games, the Football Bowl Subdivision,
for all of the bowls, an up-to-date bowl prediction hub
the NCAA and ESPN came together and charged
and a trusted source for other college football news.
Carparelli with creating a new brand and polishing the product with a public relations campaign. The
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BOWL SEASON | November 2020
In order to push the brand into America’s TV rooms, the team is working with Tony Fay Public
A N AT O M Y O F T H E L O G O Relations of Dallas. Fay’s company has assisted the
Missy Setters is the executive director of the
College Football Playoff for several years and he’s
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in
clearly excited about selling the entire bowl system.
Shreveport, La. The bowl may be one of the smallest,
Like so many fans, Fay recalls the big bowl games
but it packs a big punch. For 45 years the greater
of his youth “when we loaded up on cold turkey
Shreveport community has rolled out the red carpet
sandwiches and watched incredible, memorable
for players, coaches and fans. Sponsors for a parade,
matchups.“
fan fest, tailgate and even an after-party help put on
“We all share stories steeped in tradition about those entertaining games from mid-December through the first week of January,“ Fay said. “Getting
the show. The goal is to make sure everyone leaves town with sweet memories packed in their suitcases. “It’s that way for all of the bowls,” said Setters.
to build on the legacy of Bowl Season is like a kid
“When you first see the fans get to town, it’s beyond
getting the key to the greatest toy box ever.“
gratifying. That’s what you’ve worked all year for.”
The 2019-20 season saw the bowl roster expand
Bowl Season’s collective message will emphasize
to over 40 games in what was college football’s
the value and importance of the experience of
150th campaign. These games are ingrained into
teams fortunate enough to play in the postseason.
the fabric of their communities, raising millions of
The ‘Celebration of College Football’ will provide a
charitable dollars for non-profits f rom Las Vegas to
deserved victory lap for student-athletes with Bowl
Annapolis, San Antonio to Honolulu, Pasadena to
Season building on the passion and emotion of the
Miami.
sport that fans will cherish forever. BOWL SEASON | November 2020
3
Kellen
MOND
CELEBRATION CULMINATION The 2020-21 Bowl Season Schedule By KEVIN McNAMARA
I
t’s already been a challenging season in college
opportunities are being reduced,” said Nick Carparelli,
football but the campaign is set to end the
Executive Director of Bowl Season. “Those 72 teams
way players, coaches and fans crave, with an
will be deserving of the opportunity to experience
avalanche of bowl games.
Bowl Season, maybe more than ever before.”
This year’s Bowl Season will feature 36 contests,
The NCAA announced earlier this month that it
kicking off with the Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco
has relaxed bowl eligibility requirements for this
Bowl on Dec. 19 and ending with a 37th game - the
season. Under ordinary circumstances teams must
College Football Playoff National Championship on Jan. 11 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. In between teams will battle from Boise to Myrtle Beach, Nashville
“The good news is we’re going to have 72 teams in 36 bowl games in a year where regular season opportunities are being reduced.”
to the Bronx, and Orlando to Pasadena.
– NICK CARPARELLI
Bowl Season Executive Director
College football leaders everywhere are thrilled to still be able to offer
have a .500 record to qualify for a bowl game but the Football Oversight Committee recommended suspending that rule due to the possible postponement and cancellation of regular season games.
Conference races should be more heated than
so many postseason bowl opportunities, in spite of
ever with some leagues forced to play as few as six
a handful of bowls opting to cancel their games this
games. That should create some serious jockeying
season due to pandemic related issues.
for bowl slots.
“The good news is we’re going to have 72 teams in 36 bowl games in a year where regular season
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BOWL SEASON | November 2020
With the Big 10 kicking off its season on Oct. 24 and the PAC-12 waiting until Nov. 7, many cross-
country games scheduled for early in the season never took place. That’s created quite a bit of conjecture among Top 25 poll voters and also delayed the normal bragging rights battles of ‘Which Conference is Best’ into the upcoming Bowl Season. Those timehonored fan arguments will now be settled at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, AutoZone Liberty Bowl and Vrbo Citrus Bowls, among others.
BOWL SEASON: This is our time of year. A celebration of college football.
“Bowl Season, more than ever, is going to offer meaningful games because
the schedule overflows on its traditional New Year’s
bragging rights truly will be on the line in conferences
stretch. After three games on New Year’s Eve, fans
from coast to coast,” Carparelli said.
can enjoy the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl, the
A few bowls have
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the Vrbo Citrus Bowl
announced their intentions to postpone their annual games to the 2021 season due to the pandemic. Those bowls include
on New Year’s Day. Those games lead into the Najee
HARRIS
CFP semifinal games scheduled for the Rose Bowl Game and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. On Saturday, Jan. 2, more high-powered matchups await in four games: the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, the Outback Bowl, the
the Bahamas Bowl,
PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and the
the Celebration Bowl,
Capital One Orange Bowl.
the Fenway Bowl,
All bowl games will be
the Hawai’i Bowl, the
televised on the ESPN/
Holiday Bowl, the Quick
ABC networks, with
Lane Bowl, and the
the exception of the
Redbox Bowl. The
Tony the Tiger Sun
Montgomery Bowl
Bowl (CBS) and the
will be played as a
Arizona Bowl (CBSSN).
substitute for the
The complete bowl
Fenway Bowl for this
matchups will be
season only. As usual fans can circle a few dates on their bowl-stuffed calendars. There are six games on Dec. 26 and four on Dec. 30 before
LEADING THE PACK: Alabama (35-24-3) is the winningest team in college football in terms of bowl victories. Southern Cal (34-17) ranks second.
revealed following the regular season and conference championship games.
SEE SCHEDULE ON NEXT PAGE
BOWL SEASON | November 2020
→ 5
DEC. 19 Toyota Stadium Frisco, TX
DEC. 21 Brooks Stadium
Conway, SC
DEC. 22 Albertsons Stadium Boise, ID
DEC. 22 FAU Stadium
Boca Raton, FL
DEC. 23 Mercedes-Benz Superdome
7:00pm | ESPN
2:30pm | ESPN
3:30pm | ESPN
7:00pm | ESPN
3:30pm | ESPN
DEC. 23 Cramton Bowl
DEC. 24 TBA
DEC. 25 Cramton Bowl
DEC. 26 Raymond James Stadium
DEC. 26 Camping World Stadium
New Orleans, LA
Montgomery, AL
Albuquerque, NM
Montgomery, AL
7:00pm | ESPN/ESPN2
3:30pm | ESPN
2:30pm | ESPN
Noon | ABC
Noon | ESPN
DEC. 26 Gerald J. Ford Stadium
DEC. 26 Ladd-Peebles Stadium
DEC. 26 Independence Stadium
DEC. 28 N-MCMS
Shreveport, LA
DEC. 26 Chase Field
Phoenix, AZ
Annapolis, MD
3:30pm | ABC
3:30pm | ESPN
7:00pm | ESPN
10:15pm | ESPN
2:30pm | ESPN
DEC. 29 Yankee Stadium
DEC. 29 Camping World Stadium
DEC. 29 Alamodome
Orlando, FL
San Antonio, TX
DEC. 30 Bank of America Stadium
DEC. 30 Nissan Stadium
2:00pm | ESPN
5:30pm | ESPN
9:00pm | ESPN
Dallas, TX
New York, NY
6
Mobile, AL
BOWL SEASON | November 2020
Tampa, FL
Orlando, FL
Charlotte, NC
Nashville, TN
Noon | ESPN
3:30pm | ESPN
Amon G. Carter
Arlington, TX
Inglewood, CA
Fort Worth, TX
7:15pm | ESPN
10:45pm | ESPN
DEC. 31 Arizona Stadium
DEC. 31 NRG Stadium
Tucson, AZ
DEC. 31
DEC. 31 Sun Bowl Stadium
Memorial Stadium
El Paso, TX
Memphis, TN
Noon | ESPN
2:00pm | CBS
4:00pm | ESPN
JAN. 1 Legion Field
JAN. 1 Mercedes-Benz Stadium
JAN. 1 Camping World Stadium
Stadium
Houston, TX
Birmingham, AL
4:00pm | CBSSN
8:00pm | ESPN
Noon | ESPN2
12:30pm | ESPN
1:00pm | ABC
JAN. 1 Rose Bowl
JAN. 1 Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans, LA
JAN. 2 TIAA Bank Field
Jacksonville, FL
JAN. 2 Raymond James Stadium
JAN. 2 State Farm Stadium
5:00pm | ESPN
8:45pm | ESPN
Noon | ESPN
12:30pm | ABC
4:00pm | ESPN
CFP Semifinal
CFP Semifinal
JAN. 2 Hard Rock Stadium
JAN. 11
Pasadena, CA
Tampa, FL
Orlando, FL
Glendale, AZ
Hard Rock Stadium
Miami Gardens, FL
Miami Gardens, FL
8:00pm | ESPN
8:00pm | ESPN
*All times ET ** All bowls subject to change
Atlanta, GA
DEC. 31 Liberty Bowl
BOWL SEASON | November 2020
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2020-21 BOWL SEASON SCHEDULE
DEC. 30 SoFi Stadium
DEC. 30 AT&T Stadium
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