• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 9, 2025

The Problem With 43 Bowl Games? Meaning and Name Recognition

  • The college football bowl system continues to face new challenges.
  • The significance of matchups is waning under the sport’s new landscape and next year’s expanded playoff.
Saturday’s seven bowl games kick off a college football postseason that will deliver 43 matchups over the next three weeks.
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday’s seven bowl games kick off a college football postseason that will deliver 43 matchups over the next three weeks. With that many contests, it’s difficult to ascertain the significance of each one. And the turnover of the sponsors, leading to many ridiculous bowl names, seems to trivialize the postseason even further.

Next year, bowl games will face even stronger competition from the College Football Playoff, which under its expanded 12-team format will play first-round games on the campuses of the higher seeds on Dec. 20 and 21 — prime dates for the traditional early stages of bowl season. Broadcasts will likely have to be strategically placed around those playoff games rather than go head-to-head, according to Nick Carparelli, executive director of Bowl Season, the organization formerly known as the Football Bowl Association.

As bowl games look to find their place in college football’s new landscape, will the expanded playoff lead to less interest for the remaining matchups? “It’s more of a PR challenge than anything,” Carparelli told Front Office Sports. “I think people need to understand the role that bowl games play. Not every bowl game needs to factor into the national championship equation to be meaningful.”

But those bowls — some of which, like the Gator, Sun, and Citrus Bowls, are more than 70 years old — are dealing with all kinds of challenges. It doesn’t help that many star players sit out non-playoff games, while realignment is blurring the lines of traditional matchups. But perhaps most notable is the often wild naming-rights sponsorship deals that are struggling to find consistency.

What’s In a Name?

This year, 10 non-CFP bowls have new names — eight due to an exchange of sponsors, and two that added a sponsor to their titles. Well-known brands like LendingTree and Duluth Trading have opted to exit the space, while familiar names like DirecTV and Pop-Tarts have decided to try their hands at sponsorships. 

But the branding isn’t always smooth. The third-year bowl game at SoFi Stadium is transitioning from the Jimmy Kimmel L.A. Bowl to the Starco Brands L.A. Bowl Hosted By Gronk. Talk about a mouthful — and yes, “Gronk” refers to Rob Gronkowski. 

Non-CFP bowl sponsorships can be as cheap as $500,000, and they top out around $6 million or $7 million, according to industry experts. Compare that with the New Year’s Six games, which have rotated as playoff semifinals and can command more than $20 million. Four of those bowl games have maintained the same sponsor since the inception of the CFP in 2014, or even longer. The Fiesta Bowl has had several partners during that time period, as has the Rose Bowl, which sells a presenting sponsorship.

While there haven’t been huge increases in recent years for non-CFP deals, the value is remaining steady, Carparelli says. And although some new bowl “traditions” may be unorthodox, he believes they’re helping bowl games advertise to new fans. “You see mayonnaise and Cheez-Its and Frosted Flakes being dumped on the head of the winning coach and other things like that that bring exposure for the title sponsor,” Carparelli said. “That really delivers them great value.”

Still, bowl games will pay out somewhere around $375 million to conferences in exchange for their teams’ participation in the 40 non-CFP matchups alone, a figure similar to last year’s payout. CFP bowl games pay conferences $6 million for each participant, a number that will only grow in the future.

But the business of naming and funding bowl games isn’t the only challenge.

Players Play … Right?

Top players opting out of bowl games to prepare for the NFL Draft is nothing new. This year, quarterbacks Caleb Williams (at USC), Drake Maye (North Carolina), and Sam Hartman (Notre Dame) are among the most notable prospects skipping their teams’ postseason matchups, largely to avoid the risk of injury.

But an even bigger factor is the transfer portal, which is increasingly impacting roster makeup for bowl games. Nearly every matchup will be missing multiple players from each team as players with remaining college eligibility move from one school to the next under evolving NCAA rules.

“That is a difficult deal for me,” said Hugh Freeze, head coach at Auburn, which will face Maryland in the TransPerfect Music City Bowl on Dec. 30. The Tigers already have nine transfer opt-outs. “There’s obviously some kids that probably will move on from here, so our people need to know that,” Freeze added. “That’s the new world we live in.”

Even the CFP games aren’t immune to the new trend. Texas will be without backup quarterback Maalik Murphy, who started two games this season, for its semifinal matchup against Washington. “I’m doing this purely for me and my future,” said Murphy, who is expected to be one of the hottest prospects in the portal.

In the shifting landscape, this season’s non-CFP games are expected to attract about 1.3 million fans, an average attendance for bowl season, with a further 200,000 from the CFP. Last year, non-CFP bowl games brought in more than 120 million television viewers for an overall average of just over 3 million per game. Both CFP semifinal games drew more than 20 million, while the national championship garnered 17 million.

And next year, a bigger playoff will further test the ability of other bowls to garner fan interest.

A New Landscape

In 2024, the bowl system is set to begin a years-long reshuffling process. Those with affiliation to the Pac-12 need to immediately find a new conference partner. By 2026, even more bowl contracts will be up, and the entire system could be due for a major shakeup. “We’re seeing geography get blurred from one conference to the next,” Carparelli said.

In the long term, don’t expect bowl season to expand beyond its current number of 43 games. Any changes regarding games’ affiliation with conferences will likely be made later this spring.

But for the next several weeks, fans can enjoy the chaos on the field and ensuing celebrations for this year’s new champions as they’re crowned by an assortment of America’s favorite condiments and snack foods — and, of course, Gronk.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Sep 1, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the field before the game at Kenan Stadium

UNC’s Disastrous Season Continues With Report of NCAA Rules Violation

A UNC cornerbacks coach reportedly gave sideline passes to a player’s family.
exclusive

Bud Selig: ‘Remarkable’ Brewers Run Can’t Mask MLB’s Money Divide

The former commissioner lauds his hometown team while raising economic concerns.

NFL and College Football TV Ratings Continue to Surge, Especially for CBS

The network’s singleheader coverage Sunday drew huge viewership.

Featured Today

Paul Cartier

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Kōloa Rum Company Rum Rusher
September 27, 2025

Panthers Bubbly, Jets Wine, Manning Whiskey: The Sports Booze Boom

A sommelier dives into the sports booze trend—and tries Jets wine.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium
September 26, 2025

Steelers’ Irish Roots Are Deeper Than NFL Dublin Game

The Steelers have history and the foundation for a future in Ireland.
Oct 4, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back DeShon Singleton (8) celebrates after making an interception during the game against Michigan State at Memorial Stadium.
exclusive

Big Ten Considering Investment From California Pension Fund

Under the proposal, Big Ten would spin assets into a new entity.
October 7, 2025

NIL Hits Week 1: Auburn’s Atlanta Game Marks Next Step in Player..

The teams will play in the 2026 Aflac Kickoff Game.
Sep 20, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule walks onto the field before the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium.
October 7, 2025

Big Ten Teams Grapple With Long Flights, Time-Zone Hurdles

Coaches across the country are noticing some impact.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Oct 4, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Rose Bowl.
October 6, 2025

The Improbability of UCLA’s Incredible Upset Win Against Penn State

Before UCLA beat Penn State, donors were deeply unhappy.
Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin reacts during the fourth quarter against the Oregon Ducks at Beaver Stadium.
October 6, 2025

Penn State Has a $50 Million James Franklin Problem

Franklin’s team lost to unranked UCLA on Saturday despite being heavy favorites.
October 5, 2025

CFB’s New Parity Era: Penn State, Texas Top-25 Exits Signal Shift

Penn State and Texas fall entirely out of the top-25 rankings.
Cody Campbell
October 4, 2025

Fox, ABC Reject Ad Accusing Power Conference Commissioners of Greed

Cody Campbell said the ads were pulled after he paid for them.