10th bowl game canceled as Las Vegas joins list
The 2020 Las Vegas Bowl was canceled Wednesday, making it the 10th game of the bowl season to be scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This year’s Las Vegas Bowl was to be played in the recently opened Allegiant Stadium on the Las Vegas Strip. It was to feature teams from the Pac-12 and Southeastern Conference.
“Unfortunately we will have to wait another year to present the Las Vegas Bowl in its new home,” game executive director John Saccenti said in a statement. “This was a difficult decision but the right one considering that our game was founded nearly three decades ago to help drive tourism to the Entertainment Capital of the World during the month of December.
“We are looking forward to making our bowl week bigger and better than ever in 2021.”
The Bahamas, Celebration, Fenway, Hawaii, Holiday, Pinstripe, Quick Lane, Redbox and Sun bowls also have been canceled.
The Pac-12 has lost four bowl tie-ins — the others being the Holiday, Redbox and Sun.
“The Pac-12 is disappointed for our teams and fans that the Las Vegas Bowl has been forced to cancel this year’s game,” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement. “We look forward to next year’s game, which promises to be a fantastic national stage in one of the world’s best football stadiums, to showcase Pac-12 football.”
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement, “We have no doubt the Las Vegas Bowl will be a great part of the future SEC bowl lineup.”
The Las Vegas Bowl, first played in 1992, had a tie-in with the Mountain West from 2001-19 prior to this season.
Washington of the Pac-12 routed Boise State of the Mountain West 38-7 in the 2019 edition.
–Field Level Media
