The SWAC’s Celebration Bowl jinx ended with a bang this previous December, however the convention commissioner remains to be pissed off about one side of the sport.
Charles McClelland just lately appeared on an Alcorn State baseball broadcast with Charles Edmond to speak all issues SWAC, together with the Celebration Bowl date change.
The annual Celebration Bowl moved from the third Saturday in December to the second weekend.
“I wasn’t actual comfortable about that as a result of it places us at a aggressive drawback,” McClelland mentioned of the Dec. 14 begin date, one week after Jackson State defeated Southern within the SWAC championship sport. “To maneuver us for CFP, I perceive, however I wasn’t that comfortable about it. I used to be positively happy that, from a viewership standpoint that our followers continued to point out up and watch that sport. To have or not it’s the fourth-best watched bowl sport, that’s a testomony to our followers.”
The transfer got here months after the School Soccer Playoff expanded from 4 to 12 groups, which created further video games on the postseason schedule.
“The choice to maneuver the Cricket Celebration Bowl to the second Saturday in December is actually a game-changer,” John T. Grant, govt director, mentioned in a press release. “By aligning with the beginning of the faculty soccer bowl season and avoiding the enlargement video games of the faculty soccer playoffs and NFL, the Celebration Bowl has carved its personal area of interest within the bowl season calendar.”
The Tigers’ 28-7 win over MEAC champion South Carolina State drew 2.1 million viewers, a 37 p.c enhance over the earlier yr’s sport between Florida A&M and Howard.
McClelland admits that, due to the cash that ESPN/ABC, which owns the rights to the Celebration Bowl, is paying out, the fact is that they set the schedule.
“The networks management all of it; That’s the place the cash is,” he defined. “You possibly can put as many individuals within the stands as you possibly can, and it doesn’t evaluate to what tv pays, the quantity of income they’re paying. While you’re getting more cash than some FBS bowl video games, they’re going to let you know when you possibly can play.”
McClelland mentioned negotiations for a contract extension of the Celebration Bowl have been underway, however wouldn’t focus on additional particulars.
