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Posted

Suing related to UCLA's cancelation of the 2019 Holiday Bowl citing COVID 19 cocerns, requesting at least $3 million in compensatory damages.  Perhaps the Gator Bowl should be next for aggy chickening out vs Wake Forest.  I think there were two or three others.

Posted (edited)

We didn't close things down until March 2020.  I don't remember hearing much about COVID until January 2020.  So not sure how the 2019 Holiday Bowl would have been affected or anyone concerned at that time. I assume you mean the 2020 Holiday Bowl?

Edited by EuroHorn
Posted

OP's dates are wrong.

There are two lawsuits, for the 2021 and 2021 Holiday Bowls

2021 - UCLA pulls out at the last second, costing the bowl millions

2022 - Holiday Bowl goes as planned but they decide not to pay out the Pac-12 to cover most of previous year's cancellation, and calls it a wash despite still losing money.

Pac-12 is suing for the 2022 payment, so Holiday Bowl is now suing for the 2021 debt.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
32 minutes ago, Js1 said:

That damn 2019 pandemic!

I mean it is called COVID-19 and not COVID-20 for a reason...just not any reason thats pertinent to the canceled Holiday Bowl and this hilarious lawsuit. Theres an article floating around out there about this and at the very end theres a nugget that UCLA called up the Holiday Bowl committee a few weeks later and asked for their bowl gift bags to be mailed to LA...

  • Haha 2
Posted
1 hour ago, EuroHorn said:

We didn't close things down until March 2020.  I don't remember hearing much about COVID until January 2020.  So not sure how the 2019 Holiday Bowl would have been affected or anyone concerned at that time. I assume you mean the 2020 Holiday Bowl?

When Covid first came out of the closet I remember thinking that it was no big deal, probably just something for the news to talk about. I still vividly remember watching ESPN when the ticker came across the bottom of the screen and said that the NCAA tournament was canceled. “Ok, now you have my attention.”  

  • Hook 'Em 1
Posted
2 hours ago, gatormarc said:

OP's dates are wrong.

There are two lawsuits, for the 2021 and 2021 Holiday Bowls

2021 - UCLA pulls out at the last second, costing the bowl millions

2022 - Holiday Bowl goes as planned but they decide not to pay out the Pac-12 to cover most of previous year's cancellation, and calls it a wash despite still losing money.

Pac-12 is suing for the 2022 payment, so Holiday Bowl is now suing for the 2021 debt.

Shitshow lol. But I guess this is a way to stick it to UCLA (even if it hits Berkeley too).

Posted
3 hours ago, Evil Bill Obrien said:

Theres an article floating around out there about this and at the very end theres a nugget that UCLA called up the Holiday Bowl committee a few weeks later and asked for their bowl gift bags to be mailed to LA...

San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl — NC State vs. UCLA

  • Gift suite, fleece hoodie sweatshirt, short sleeve T-shirt, long-sleeve T-shirt
Posted
5 hours ago, Evil Bill Obrien said:

I mean it is called COVID-19 and not COVID-20 for a reason...just not any reason thats pertinent to the canceled Holiday Bowl and this hilarious lawsuit. Theres an article floating around out there about this and at the very end theres a nugget that UCLA called up the Holiday Bowl committee a few weeks later and asked for their bowl gift bags to be mailed to LA...

That's just embarrassing.

  • 2 years later...
Posted (edited)

Holiday Bowl has proposed relocating to Saudi Arabia for the 2025 game, according to a FOIA open records request.

 

Edited by satyanash
  • Haha 2
Posted
4 hours ago, satyanash said:

Holiday Bowl has proposed relocating to Saudi Arabia for the 2025 game, according to a FOIA open records request.

 

image.gif.8f6a70267c8be9c9c393a4aad503ae2c.gif

We’ve just straight up sold out this country to Russia and Saudi Arabia?

Posted

David Covucci: College bowl games are flirting with Saudi money

Quote

It’s not just Mike Lombardi and UNC who are flirting with the Middle East. It’s college bowl games, too. Documents obtained by FOIAball reveal that the Holiday Bowl proposed relocating the 2025 game to Saudi Arabia. While the proposal did not go forward, the ACC brought the offer to members, polling schools’ athletic directors on their feelings and sharing a study on both safety concerns and the reputational risk of hosting the game in Jeddah. 

Saudi money in sports has been a divisive topic in the past several years, with the Middle East nation using its sovereign wealth fund to elbow into both American and international sports. The LIV Golf League poached top PGA players and created a schism in the sport when it offered stars like Bryson DeChambeau upward of $100 million. In soccer, Cristiano Ronaldo recently took $700 million to resign with Saudi club Al Nassr. Outside of sports, a number of famous comedians were sharply criticized for their recent decisions to perform at a comedy festival in Riyadh. 

The proposal to move this year’s Holiday Bowl—which pits an ACC team against a former PAC-12 school—to Saudi Arabia appeared to be first floated in the spring by the Holiday Bowl to the ACC. An email from the ACC at the beginning of June with an agenda for a conference call the next day included the item: "Holiday Bowl Location Change Proposal."

Screenshot_2025-10-17_at_4.36.30_PM.png?

“Topic 6b: As briefly discussed at the Spring Meeting, the Holiday Bowl has proposed relocating their 2025 game to Saudi Arabia. Find additional information from the Holiday Bowl regarding the potential relocation of the 2025 game. You will find in the enclosed specific responses to most initial questions.” The links to the proposal were not part of the documents included in the records obtained by FOIAball (but we’re asking for them from schools). Several days later, the relocation was part of a poll sent to ADs to gauge their feelings on the matter. 

Screenshot_2025-10-17_at_4.58.57_PM.png?

It asked, “Does your institution support the Holiday Bowl's proposal to relocate the 2025 game to Saudi Arabia as outlined in their presentation?” At the bottom of the question, it noted that the move would represent a “positive” financial impact of $5-6 million. The options to choose from were:

  • Approve

  • Disapprove

  • Not Sure/Further Discussion

The next month, in advance of another call, the ACC provided an update and indicated further research had been done. Rather than outright reject the possibility of playing a game in Saudi Arabia, for reasons many would consider reasonable, it mentioned that ADs had put forth another set of questions. “Holiday Bowl Relocation Evaluation. The Conference office has shared with the Holiday Bowl the five (5) questions further posed during the most recent AD call and expects a response from the Holiday Bowl shortly. “

It said the conference had received a report about the feasibility of playing the game in Jeddah. It is unclear if the Holiday Bowl or the ACC commissioned it. “While nuanced questions remain, the Conference has received a report from a U.S.-based risk advisory firm specializing in high-stakes environments.” It goes on to say that Jeddah was considered relatively safe, but that plenty of concerns were present.

“The report notes that while crime in Jeddah is low, the U.S. Department of State currently designates Saudi Arabia as a Level 2 advisory—Exercise Increased Caution—due to threats of terrorism and regional conflict. The report also outlines significant cultural, legal, and reputational risks that would require careful planning. The findings—along with input from the Holiday Bowl Executive Director—will be organized and shared via conference call if enough institutions remain interested.”

Screenshot_2025-10-17_at_6.04.33_PM.png?

In August, the relocation was on the agenda again, titled “Holiday Bowl relocation- Final Opportunity.” The summary of the call the next day asked ADs for more feedback. It mentioned that even if this proposal didn’t go through, the potential for a game in Saudi Arabia was on the table in the future. “Connect on campus as you deem necessary, including with your president … let me know your position by the end of the next week. If enough ADs support, after this final round of feedback, the matter will then be elevated to the Board. If there isn’t support, this topic will be punted for potential discussions around a future game.”

Whether the decision made it all the way up to the Board is unknown. On Aug. 28, the Holiday Bowl sent a press release announcing that the game would be held in San Diego on Jan. 2, 2026. While it won't be the first time the Holiday Bowl will be played in a foreign country, the release did boast that it was the first time the game will be played in January. “We absolutely love this game date and kickoff time,” Sports San Diego CEO Mark Neville said in the release. Neville did not say in the statement if he loved the location of the game this year, too. He also did not respond to a request for comment.

Last year’s Holiday Bowl was a matchup between Syracuse and Washington State, which the Orangemen won 52-35. A lot can change between now and January, but The Athletic’s current projections show that this year's Holiday Bowl would be a match-up between Clemson and Washington. 

 

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