When it was announced that the new LA Bowl would feature an annual post-season contest between the Pac-12's fifth-place team and the winner of the Mountain West, it didn't exactly send a ripple of excitement through the sports world. It's hard enough to get people excited about football on the West Coast when it features two good teams.
Who thought that match-up would sell tickets?
And while bowl after bowl in the state of California has been discontinued over the years due to lack of attendance and an inability to find title sponsors, someone thought LA needed a bowl game. Yes, the same LA that has been a revolving door for NFL teams because again, they couldn't sell tickets, thought people would want to see a mid-tier team for a mid-tier league face the champion of a mid-major.
So, right out of the gate, we know the LA Bowl is being run like a circus - and not the fun kind, the sad kind where you just want to leave.
And what does a circus need? A clown, of course. The red-nosed rascal taking control of this circus, its naming rights at least, is none other than late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel.
Kimmel is best known for his hilarious monologues on his ABC talk show, his stand-up comedy, and doing Blackface on The Man Show.
Now Kimmel is dipping his toes into new waters. The comedian's multi-year deal with So-Fi Stadium means the inaugural collegiate bowl game will be officially called the "Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl." Held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl will feature the Mountain West’s No. 1 selection versus Pac-12’s No. 5 selection. You got chills yet?
“Stan Kroenke designed Hollywood Park to be a sports and entertainment destination for Angelenos and visitors from across the world to enjoy. We cannot think of a better way to bring sports and entertainment together than by collaborating with celebrated late-night host and comedian Jimmy Kimmel on our collegiate bowl game,” said Jason Gannon, executive director of the bowl. “Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl will not only bring an incredible game day experience to fans, but it will also focus on supporting our community 365 days a year."
“Never before has a bowl game been named after a human being (as far as I know, I didn’t check). On December 18, my dream of being forever enshrined alongside orange, rose, cotton and peach comes true,” said Jimmy Kimmel.
ABC will exclusively televise the game, slated for Saturday, December 18, at 4:30 p.m. PT.