St. Petersburg could get newest bowl game

ST. PETERSBURG — A year ago, it was barely an idea among Big East officials, but by next week, the St. Petersburg Bowl is likely to be the newest annual event on the bay area's calendar.

Organizers will go before an NCAA subcommittee confident a pre-Christmas game at Tropicana Field will be approved to join the current lineup of 32 in time for the upcoming season.

"We feel this game is in tremendous position to be approved," Big East associate commissioner Nick Carparelli said at a gathering of organizers and local officials Wednesday night at the Hilton Carillon Park.

The bowl would pit the Big East against Conference USA, and Wednesday brought new details, such as $30 tickets. (The Outback Bowl, with higher-level teams, charges $65). Tropicana would be configured with the field running from home plate to rightfield with seating for as many as 44,000.

Organizers said they are confident in the bowl's viability because it will be owned and operated by ESPN, which runs five other bowls and would broadcast the game.

"I think we've proven to the committee and the conferences involved in our bowls that we do provide a quality experience for the student-athlete," said Pete Derzis, senior vice president and general manager for ESPN Regional. "We've been able to build a bowl model that's worked, and we've met the (attendance) criteria the NCAA has placed. St. Petersburg has all the elements we need."

The bowl had been earmarked for Dec. 21, but that changed last week when it was announced the Bucs have a home game that night. Dates are still being explored, but the bowl is likely to fall from Dec. 20-23.

"It provides something of a tradition for the community," St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker said. "I'd love it if 10 years from now we all knew that the bowl game was going to be on such-and-such a date and the community would look forward to it and the ancillary events that come with the bowl game every year."

The St. Petersburg Bowl isn't the only potential addition as proposals will be heard Wednesday in South Florida from the Congressional Bowl, which would pit Navy against an ACC team in Nationals Park in Washington, and the Rocky Mountain Bowl, featuring teams from the Mountain West and Western Athletic in Salt Lake City. Only St. Petersburg's would be produced by ESPN.

There were seven eligible teams (all but one 6-6) that didn't play in a bowl game last season. Southern Miss athletic director Richard Giannini, who chairs the NCAA committee that decides bowls, said the NCAA doesn't want so many bowls that it risks not having enough teams to fill them.

While Giannini said he can't speak for his committee, he said he has heard nothing but positive things about the prospects of a game in St. Petersburg.

Comments on this article

by Aaron	Apr 27, 2008 10:34 AM
This bowl is a joke!?!! What about a 8-4 Troy team from the Sunbelt conference? were they not worthy of a bowl game even though they slammed Okie State?

by Justin E	Apr 27, 2008 10:05 AM
Dave, so one side of the field is just a big sideline? It's called a "bowl" game for a reason.

by Stan	Apr 27, 2008 10:04 AM
The only team to have a winning record and not receive a bowl bid was Troy (they were 8-4 with losses to Arkansas, Florida and Georgia) and they are in the Sun Belt. This new Bowl should pit a Big East team against the best available r

by Dave	Apr 25, 2008 4:42 PM
Justin - from the 1st base dugout to the LF wall.

by Ryan S	Apr 25, 2008 2:55 PM
If the Rays move, it won't be to Tampa. They don't want to have their stadium in that crappy place.

by Rob	Apr 25, 2008 12:57 PM
Hey Anthony, which newspaper site are you writing on? Its not the one based in Tampa!

by Justin E	Apr 25, 2008 12:40 PM
go to this site: http://www.majorleaguedowntown.com/userfiles/File/DesignConsideration_LoRes.pdf and look at the aerial view and tell me how a football field works

by Rich	Apr 25, 2008 12:39 PM
ST Pete is so far superior to Tampa in every way why would anyone move there?

by Marino	Apr 25, 2008 10:08 AM
As the late Chris Thomas used to say. "There is no unity in the community"

by justin	Apr 24, 2008 6:29 PM
Anthony, you keep all the crime and child molesting teachers and we'll stick with baseball. Go Rays!

by Ryan	Apr 24, 2008 6:25 PM
Tampa is a joke. Its the biggest 9 to 5 city I have ever seen. If there is no hockey or football what are you going to do except go to work? 30 miles of beaches vs buildings and concrete. St Pete wins hands down!

by Mike	Apr 24, 2008 6:24 PM
They have said that the bowl game would move to the Rays new stadium if built.

by Alfie	Apr 24, 2008 6:19 PM
Agreed, the bowl system is already getting watered down with too many bowls. But, if the Rays do get a new ball park, it would be able to accomodate football. There are a few bowl games already played in baseball stadiums... San Francisco is one.

by Damien	Apr 24, 2008 5:59 PM
Have to agree with Anthony -- The Trop was obsolete as soon as it was built, and St Pete simply doesn't have the infrastructure to support such an event. Move the Rays to Tampa!

by College Football Fan	Apr 24, 2008 5:59 PM
I am glad to hear the powers that be are attempting to bring a bowl to our backyard. Tampa is nice, but New Years Day bowl games are best watched at home, all day, with friends.

by me	Apr 24, 2008 5:59 PM
This will put UCF in a Bowl every years if they have a winning record.

by LA, NY, CHI, ATL	Apr 24, 2008 5:58 PM
LOL right at you Anthony. Shows how ignorant you are about the city of Tampa's ability to support a sports franchise on its own. Wake up. Both sides of the bay need each other to make it.

by Brian	Apr 24, 2008 5:43 PM
Rays have said the Big East Bowl Game can be accomodated at the new waterfront ballpark. Cleary a WAY better venue to showcase St Pete than a concrete bunker.

by Brendan	Apr 24, 2008 11:25 AM
Totally against this. Waste of time watching a bowl played on a baseball field. Anyone who has ever watched one (on TV or in person) knows it's a waste. But I am down with UFC idea. Damn, that actually sounds like a GREAT idea!

by Anthony	Apr 24, 2008 11:25 AM
I'd love it if in 10 years... after the Rays tear down the trop and move to East Tampa we rebuild a dome for football. Then St Pete can pitch for it's own NFL team. Silly little St Pete, big stuff is for Tampa!

by rayray	Apr 24, 2008 11:25 AM
Another great day in St. Pete, say it! Go Rays!

by Jim	Apr 24, 2008 11:24 AM
How does this new "tradition" fit in with turning the Trop into something other than a stadium? Will the game then be played at the proposed waterfront park?

by Tim	Apr 24, 2008 11:24 AM
What will happen to the bowl game if the Rays get that new stadium and the Trop is removed.

by Ken	Apr 24, 2008 11:24 AM
And yet the fat cats who own the Rays want the taxpayers to pay thru the nose to replace the Trop with a stadium that won't be able to handle football. Good grief, Charlie Brown.

by Jeff	Apr 24, 2008 11:24 AM
And then when the tear down the Trop, they will play where?

by Rodger	Apr 24, 2008 11:24 AM
It's a much better idea then tearing it down.

by Bob	Apr 24, 2008 11:24 AM
It could be a lot of things, but its not."I think that's the biggest concern right now," Giannini said.

by Scott	Apr 24, 2008 11:24 AM
No, no, no! There are way too many bowl games already. Let's eliminate some instead of adding another "Who cares?" game.

by Jimmy-jam	Apr 24, 2008 10:34 AM
Should have been doing this earlier, and also start attempting to bring in more client's and sport's venue. How about UFC fighting? Imagine a headline of top fighters, scrapping in the dome. Yeah!