How does Conference USA get better bowl locations than the SEC?

[Golddore68]

In the last seven years MTSU (which always finishes 7-5 every year) has gone to bowl games in Hawaii and the Bahamas (twice).

They also were in consideration for the bowl game in Las Vegas this year.

Meanwhile the SEC — which is supposed to be the top elite conference in the country — has bowl games in Memphis (in their outdated stadium), Birmingham, Shreveport La., and Nashville (which isn’t a big deal for Vanderbilt fans since that’s our home city).

Yes, they also have bowl games in Orlando but we learned during the James Franklin days when we were 10-2 that they don’t want to pick Vanderbilt to go to that game, two years in a row they invited teams which finished below Vanderbilt in the SEC standings (One year it was Georgia, which we beat in the regular season).

Why does Conference USA have tie-ins with such good touristy locations but not the SEC?

[commadore]

We were never 10-2.
We were 9-4 in 2012.
We were 9-4 in 2013.
We were 6-7 in 2011.

Otherwise, point taken.

[AuricGoldfinger]

In the last seven years MTSU (which always finishes 7-5 every year) has gone to bowl games in Hawaii and the Bahamas (twice).

They also were in consideration for the bowl game in Las Vegas this year.

Meanwhile the SEC — which is supposed to be the top elite conference in the country — has bowl games in Memphis (in their outdated stadium), Birmingham, Shreveport La., and Nashville (which isn’t a big deal for Vanderbilt fans since that’s our home city).

Yes, they also have bowl games in Orlando but we learned during the James Franklin days when we were 10-2 that they don’t want to pick Vanderbilt to go to that game, two years in a row they invited teams which finished below Vanderbilt in the SEC standings (One year it was Georgia, which we beat in the regular season).

Why does Conference USA have tie-ins with such good touristy locations but not the SEC?

Shreveport and the Independence Bowl no longer have a bowl tie-in with the SEC.

It was the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville that snubbed Vanderbilt for Georgia in 2013, the season Vandy beat Georgia. (A Georgia alum was the CEO of TaxSlayer, the bowl's sponsor, at the time.)

The SEC has added a bowl in Las Vegas and a second bowl game in Tampa.

The SEC is unlikely to jettison its tie-ins with the Liberty and Birmingham (the SEC offices are directly across the street from the stadium) due to longstanding ties with both cities and their central locations in SEC's historical footprint. They're not glamorous by any stretch, but they are better than Shreveport for a 6-6 team.

And finally, to be honest, while they are very desirable locations, the Bahamas Bowl and the Hawaii Bowl are unattractive to most athletic directors. The costs associated with travel to Hawaii are significant, and the Bahamas present the added challenge of everyone in the travel party needing a passport.

[Versus75]

The Bahamas Bowl has the lowest payout per team @ $225,000.

The Camellia Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama, pays $300,000. The Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl, which is available only on streaming sites, pays $350,000.

https://businessofcollegesports.com/col ... ach%20game.


Every bowl affiliated with the Southeastern Conference pays at least $1,000,000. The Liberty Bowl, one mentioned above, pays $4.7 million.

The Southeastern Conference: "It Just Mean$ More"

[coachinwaiting]

Bowl game destinations closer to the conference footprint reduced travel expense (for the fans and the athletics departments) and the more long-standing bowls have higher payouts, TV ratings, and name recognition. Of course, with the SEC's footprint ever expanding, the Rose Bowl might not be out of the question soon.

[OldDude]

Attendance at the Hawaii Bowl was only 6600 and one team (SDS) was from the west coast. Certainly Hawaii seems like a sexy destination, but not sure it is ever going to draw big crowds. The distance for fans means committing a lot of time and expense. Would like to know how many MTSU folks made the trip. Could see Stanford, if they would even accept, turning out decent numbers given west coast fans with fairly deep pockets. Otherwise can't see this ever drawing well .

[cc11316]

I was thinking Vandy was also beaten out for the Gator Bowl after the 2012 season to Miss State although MSU was 7-5 (4-4 SEC) (Vandy 8-4 5-3 SEC). MSU had lost like 5 of their last 6 games while Vandy had won 6 games in a row.

I do recall the opponent was Northwestern, a team Vandy had lost to earlier in the season, but Vandy was deserving of that game and ended up staying in Nashville for the Music City Bowl where they defeated NC State.

[BWSeven]

I do recall Vandy getting snubbed and MS state playing in the rain. So I didn't feel so bad. Kinda enjoyed watching their fans getted drenched.