Steve Carp: It’s time to change bowl game format

Friday, Dec. 20, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

ONLY 10,118 FANS braved the mid-December chill Thursday night at Sam Boyd Stadium to be part of the record low crowd at what will probably be the last Las Vegas Bowl as we currently know it.

That sparse turnout is Exhibit A for changing the format, if not the day and time this game is played. After five years of predominantly empty seats in the stadium, it's crystal-clear Las Vegas isn't willing to support a game involving the Big West and Mid-American Conference champions.

Of course, this town rallied around the Western Athletic Conference's inaugural championship game just two weeks ago and saw a heck of a game as Brigham Young beat Wyoming in overtime. Thursday's 18-15 win by Nevada-Reno over Ball State was nearly as exciting, especially the final five minutes as the Cardinals closed to within three, then had their hopes snuffed out by Mike Crawford's interception at midfield with just over two minutes to play.

The MAC wants out, and good luck to them in their Motor City Bowl project. The Big West wants to stay in the game, but it's ultimately going to be up to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority whether or not it does.

But given the Big West's lack of support in this town over the years, it's hard to justify giving it a guaranteed spot in a new format. Would Wyoming vs. Nevada-Reno draw much better than UNR-Ball State? Perhaps, but it's unlikely the LVCVA would want to take that risk given the fact it's going to have to put up a couple of million to change the format.

On the other hand, there's no guarantee a completely open bowl would produce a packed house. Would Michigan State-Southern Mississippi draw? Or Oregon-Houston? When you have an open bowl, you're rolling the dice that you're going to land two teams that travel well and will spark competitive interest.

And the LVCVA folks know something about dealing with odds. In this case, the LVCVA is the player, not the house. So there's no edge there.

The Big West deserves to have its champion play somewhere. If you're playing Division I-A football, your conference winner has earned their right to play in a bowl. Of course, the bowl alliance has its own ideas about equity. But it's going to be tough for the Big West to remain here in Las Vegas, given its track record.

Commissioner Dennis Farrell said the conference is prepared to commit to purchasing a substantial number of tickets if the LVCVA keeps the Big West in the game. And for the Big West, a tie-in with the WAC would be an ideal situation. It would force the conference to raise its level of play and its level of support.

The WAC probably could live with that. After 10-2 Wyoming got snubbed and 8-3 San Diego State got shut out, commish Karl Benson's not about to turn his back on an automatic spot for his conference.

But would a Big West-WAC game appeal to ESPN? And can you continue to play on a Thursday night when a Saturday afternoon time slot might bring more people into town despite the risk of going head-to-head against the NFL?

Or is it worth it for the LVCVA to go with an open format, kowtow to ESPN's wishes, get what amounts to a 3 1/2-hour infomercial for Las Vegas and hope it hits more than it misses with the teams it draws?

When you look at the future of the Las Vegas Bowl, the solution is not as cut-and-dried as you might think. There are many variables that will have to be addressed in the next couple of weeks as the LVCVA decides which way it will go.

But one thing is certain. The Las Vegas Bowl, as we have known it, died on a cold December night. And an ignominious death it was.