June 24, 2013
SAN DIEGO and SAN FRANCISCO - Beginning in 2014, the Big Ten Conference and Pac-12 Conference will begin a new partnership with the Holiday Bowl in San Diego and the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco.
Bowl officials announced on Monday a six-year partnership (2014-'19) that will pit teams from the Big Ten and the Pac-12 in both bowls beginning in 2014.
Holiday Bowl
The Holiday Bowl will enter a new era in 2014 as it begins a six-year partnership with the Big Ten Conference and extends its current relationship with the Pac-12 Conference for six years, bowl officials announced today.
The Holiday Bowl will have the second pick from the Pac-12 after the College Football Playoff structure per selection guidelines established by the Conference. The Alamo Bowl has the first selection. The Big Ten team will be determined after discussion between bowl and conference officials to create the best possible matchup.
"We are entering a new and exciting time for the Holiday Bowl," said Bill Geppert, 2013 Bowl president. "The Holiday Bowl has a rich history as `America's Most Exciting Bowl Game' and this new agreement lays the foundation for continued success. In the ever-changing world of college football, we are excited to begin this new chapter that will no doubt provide a huge economic impact to San Diego as our community welcomes thousands of college football fans to our beautiful city every December."
Included in the Big Ten agreement is the stipulation that the Holiday Bowl will not have the same team in its game more than twice during the six-year span. The Holiday Bowl previously enjoyed a relationship with the Big Ten from 1992-94 and conference teams have played in nine games, beginning with a victory by Indiana in 1979. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State and Penn State have played in the Holiday Bowl, including when the Wolverines faced BYU for the national championship in 1984.
"The Big Ten Conference is pleased to return to the Holiday Bowl in San Diego," Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany said. "During the bowl evaluation process we heard our Directors of Athletics and head coaches tell us that the Holiday Bowl was a reward destination they wanted the conference to be a part of. The Holiday Bowl has a long history and tradition of managing bowl games that have tremendous appeal to participating teams and their fans, and we are excited by the opportunity to return to an area of Southern California that has such a strong and vibrant Big Ten football following."
The Holiday Bowl is entering its 16th year as a partner with the Pac-12. Eight of the current 12 teams have appeared in the game.
"The Pac-12 has been a tremendous partner through the years," said Geppert. "The enthusiasm of their fans is matched only by the high-octane entertainment their teams have provided. We're ecstatic to continue this relationship."
"The Holiday Bowl has been a long-time valued partner of the Pac-12 and we are grateful to continue our relationship with the bowl game and the city of San Diego," said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. "There has always been a buzz about this game throughout our Conference and we anticipate this new partnership with the Big Ten will provide many exciting and memorable games for years to come."
The Holiday Bowl, televised on ESPN, currently matches the second selection from the Pac-12 with the fourth selection from the Big 12, after BCS matchups. The 2013 game, which will celebrate its 36th year, is set for Monday, Dec. 30 with a 7:15 p.m. PT kickoff. Tickets go on sale to the general public Aug. 12th.
The mission of the non-profit San Diego Bowl Game Association is to generate tourism, exposure, economic benefit and civic pride for San Diego and its citizens by presenting the nation's most exciting and entertaining bowl games and festivals of events. Since its inception in 1978, the San Diego Bowl Game Association has created an impact of $668 million.
For more information on the Holiday Bowl, visit www.holidaybowl.com.
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl
Two of college football's premier conferences, the Pac-12 and the Big Ten, will face each other in the Bay Area's post-season bowl game beginning in 2014.
The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl today announced six-year agreements that will establish a new partnership with the Big Ten and significantly improve the Bowl's selection rights in the Pac-12. Both pacts will run from 2014 through 2019.
Effective with the new match-up, the Bowl will be played in the new 68,500 seat Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, future home of the NFL San Francisco 49ers and site of the Super Bowl in 2016.
"Our objective entering negotiations for the next bowl cycle was to elevate the game," said Bowl Executive Director Gary Cavalli. "Specifically, we wanted to move up in the Pac-12 and secure the highest quality opponent possible. We're thrilled that we've been able to achieve both goals. With a Pac-12 vs. Big Ten matchup and a new world-class stadium, we've positioned our game very well for the future."
Under terms of its renewal with the Pac-12, the Bowl will have the No. 4 pick, within parameters established by the conference, [after the Rose/Playoff Group, Alamo and Holiday Bowls], a jump of two positions from its current No. 6. The Bowl will work with the Big Ten to create the best possible matchup for the Pac-12 and ensure that at least five different Big Ten teams visit the Bay Area during the six-year term.
"The opportunity for the Big Ten Conference to play an annual bowl game in a world-class city like San Francisco, in a state-of-the-art, new NFL stadium, and in an area rich in football tradition appealed to our Directors of Athletics and head coaches," Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany said.
"The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl is a welcome addition to the national Big Ten bowl family, one we hope will also appeal to the many graduates, fans and friends of Big Ten football who work and live in Northern California."
"We are delighted to continue the Pac-12's relationship with the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl and thrilled to build on our postseason partnership with the Big Ten Conference in the Bay Area," said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott.
"Having the opportunity to showcase the two conferences with a quality match-up in the San Francisco 49ers new state-of-the-art stadium is a win-win for our teams and fans."
AT&T Park has been the game's home since its inception in 2002. This year's finale at the downtown San Francisco ballpark is scheduled on Friday, December 27 at 6:30 p.m. PST/9:30 p.m. EST. The contest will pair the Pac-12's No. 6 selection against BYU [if bowl-eligible]. If the Cougars do not achieve bowl eligibility, the Bowl has a backup agreement with the ACC.
When the game venue moves to Santa Clara next year, the team headquarters hotels and most bowl-week activities will remain in San Francisco.
The Pac-12 was first represented in the game in 2006, when UCLA faced Florida State. Oregon State came to San Francisco in 2007, followed by California in 2008 and USC in 2009. After a year's hiatus, the Pac-12 sent UCLA again to the 2011 matchup, then Arizona State this past season. Pac-12 teams own a 4-2 record overall in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.
The Big Ten is undefeated in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, with a victory by Illinois in 2011.
With the Big Ten, the Pac-12 refreshes a rivalry that dates back to the first Rose Bowl Game at the turn of the last century. The `Granddaddy Of Them All' was first played in 1902 when Michigan defeated Stanford.
The union of the two conferences in the new 49ers stadium represents a significant potential increase in not only attendance, but also in television ratings. Between them, the Pac-12 and Big Ten have a television `reach' that stretches from coast to coast, marked by a presence in 12 of the top 20 national television markets and 15 of the top 30.
The Big Ten Conference footprint extends to major U.S. & Nielsen TV markets, including New York/#1 Nielsen [Rutgers]; Chicago/#3 [Illinois & Northwestern]; Philadelphia/#4 & Pittsburgh #23 [Penn State]; Washington, D.C./#8 & Baltimore #27 [Maryland]; Detroit/#11 [Michigan & Michigan State]; Minneapolis-St. Paul/#15 [Minnesota] and Cleveland/#18 [Ohio State].
The remaining five institutions in the 14-team conference enjoy statewide as well as national followings [Nebraska, Iowa, Purdue, Wisconsin, Indiana].
The 12-team Pac-12 Conference encompasses Los Angeles/#2 Nielsen [UCLA & USC]; San Francisco Bay Area/#6 [Stanford & California]; Seattle-Tacoma /#12 [Washington & Washington State]; Pboenix/#13 [Arizona & Arizona State]; Denver/#17 [Colorado]; Portland/#22 [Oregon & Oregon State] and Salt Lake City/#33 [Utah].