Sun Belt Announces Bowl Tie-Ins For Next 6 Seasons With New Flexible Model
Today, the Sun Belt Conference announced its football Bowl tie-ins for 2020-2026.
The R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl in New Orleans, as well as the Lending Tree Bowl in Mobile remain guaranteed spots for Sun Belt schools, but the other three bowl tie-ins allow for flexibility.
In the past, the New Orleans Bowl gets first selection. Now, it'll get the second selection, while the Lending Tree Bowl gets the 5th selection.
ESPN will get the first Sun Belt Bowl team selection, along with the third and fourth, and will be able to choose from the following Bowl games they own and operate.
• Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton, FL)
• Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, AL)
• Cure Bowl (Orlando, FL)
• Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, ID)
• SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (Dallas, TX)
• Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl (Frisco, TX)
• Myrtle Beach Bowl (Myrtle Beach, SC)
• New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque, NM)
This is for the 2020 season only.
In 2021, the New Orleans Bowl will get the first selection.
In the past few seasons, the Sun Belt had Bowl tie-ins with the Camellia Bowl, Cure Bowl and Dollar General Bowl. (in addition to New Orleans and Lending Tree Bowls)
Now, the Sun Belt will have 5 of a possible 10 Bowl games to participate each year.
"We are coming off of our most successful season in Sun Belt history," said Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill said in a press release. "We're excited to provide a flex model that allows for our fans and schools to go to desirable locations with exciting opponents that are easily accessible and provides more revenue than the previous bowl cycle."
The Sun Belt champion also has access to one of the New Year's Six bowls if the College Football Playoff committee deems them the best champion from the Group of 5 conferences.
Conference USA will remain a guaranteed tie-in to the R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.