5 ways the Raiders’ move to Las Vegas will impact college football
By Zach Bigalke
2. Providing a boost to the Las Vegas Bowl
Last year, the Las Vegas Bowl celebrated its 25th year of operation. It is currently the 16th oldest bowl on the postseason calendar. Yet, despite being a desirable destination to draw fans, the bowl game has never gained the prominence of other contests. That is in large part due to the facility where the game has been played from the outset. Sam Boyd Stadium’s ceiling, apparently, is as a second- or third-tier site. A new stadium completely changes that metric.
In addition to the Raiders and Rebels, it is likely that the Las Vegas Bowl would also relocate to the new stadium under proposal. The shift would immediately provide an upgrade in amenities and 25,000 more tickets to sell. This alone could push the game higher up the hierarchy. Already featuring a tie-in with the Pac-12, this game could soon feature higher-ranked teams from power conferences. While this would box out the opportunity for mid-majors to play in Vegas, it would also raise the game’s profile.
The impact on one of the game’s regular participants, though, could be even greater than this postseason shift.