Pac-10 renews Las Vegas Bowl contract

Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2003 | 9:44 a.m.

The Las Vegas Bowl announced on Monday that it has reached an agreement to extend it contract with the Pac-10 Conference for two more years through the 2005 season.

The original three-year contract pitting the Pac-10's No. 5 team against the Mountain West Conference's No. 2 team was due to expire after this year's contest, which will be played on Christmas Eve at 4:30 p.m. at Sam Boyd Stadium and be televised nationally by ESPN.

"The Pac-10 has proven to be a valuable partner for Las Vegas, and we look forward to hosting one of their teams through 2005," Tina Kunzer-Murphy, the executive director of the Las Vegas Bowl, said. "The contract extension with the Pac-10 is another positive step for the Las Vegas Bowl."

The conferences have split in the first two meetings of the agreement with Utah defeating USC, 10-6, in 2001 and UCLA knocking off New Mexico, 27-13, last year before a paid crowd of 30,324, the second largest turnout in Las Vegas Bowl history.

"Pac-10 teams which have played in the Las Vegas Bowl have had enjoyable experiences, and the site is an attractive one to which the Conference's fans have good access," Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen said. "These factors make it a very desirable bowl for Pac-10 members."