Las Vegas Bowl’s growing pains continue in COVID era

On Thursday, COVID-19 permitting, it volition beryllium Arizona State of the Pac-12 against Wisconsin of the Big 10 astatine Allegiant Stadium.

The kickoff of the Las Vegas Bowl volition people the archetypal clip the crippled has been played aft Christmas — a large motion the crippled mightiness beryllium nearing the reddish portion successful vessel crippled hierarchy.

This year’s prestigious league ties with 2 Power Five conferences notwithstanding, the crippled inactive has a ways to spell earlier it becomes the “Granddaddy of Them All,” which is however the Rose Bowl is often referred successful the discourse of vessel games. But it’s besides evident the Las Vegas Bowl is nary longer it’s distant cousin.

That said, it besides should beryllium noted the caller date, matchup and location stadium was expected to spell into effect past twelvemonth earlier the pandemic deed harder than Georgia’s defense. The game’s catchy advertisement run was shelved for a year. But 3 weeks ago, during an informal luncheon with the media, everything was looking up.

With the close matchup, Las Vegas Bowl officials spoke disconnected the grounds astir the crippled perchance selling retired the Raiders’ 65,000-seat stadium adjacent without a Kansas City Chiefs’ presence.

But that was earlier Texas A&M pulled retired of the Dec. 31 Gator Bowl erstwhile a COVID outbreak near the Aggies with lone 38 assistance players, 20 of whom were said to beryllium interior linemen.

It’s hard to tally a pitchy expanse with a feline wearing jersey No. 68.

Bowled implicit by COVID

But if determination is simply a destiny worse than limbo, that’s wherever the Gator Bowl was Thursday arsenic 5-7 Illinois and Marshall, which mislaid 35-21 to Louisiana successful the New Orleans Bowl connected Dec. 18, were being mentioned arsenic imaginable replacement opponents for Wake Forest earlier Rutgers got the call.

Even worse is what happened Thursday erstwhile the Hawaii Bowl betwixt Hawaii and Memphis was canceled connected the eve of the crippled due to the fact that of COVID-19, season-ending injuries and transfers successful the Hawaii program. This came aft Memphis had made the agelong travel to Hawaii.

What if a destiny akin to what happened to Texas A&M and Hawaii happens to either Arizona State oregon Wisconsin? That’s a nightmare script for Las Vegas Bowl enforcement manager John Saccenti, who indispensable beryllium having occupation sleeping astatine nighttime disquieted astir what COVID-19 could bash to his game.

“Health and information remains our apical priority. We proceed to travel section protocols arsenic we hole for our archetypal Las Vegas Bowl astatine Allegiant Stadium,” helium said successful a email connected Christmas Eve. “We are optimistic our docket of events volition hap arsenic planned, though we proceed to show existent conditions and are prepared to marque adjustments arsenic needed.”

Already, Wisconsin diversion manager Chris McIntosh has tested affirmative for COVID-19 and volition not question to Las Vegas for the game.

That quality came astir six hours aft Wisconsin officials announced they had to cancel Thursday’s men’s hoops crippled against George Mason due to the fact that of affirmative tests successful the Badgers’ program.

One time earlier, Wisconsin officials announced the women’s crippled against Eastern Illinois had been canceled for the aforesaid reason.

Growing pains

In summation to perchance forcing a alteration successful the Las Vegas Bowl matchup, the expanding menace of the COVID outbreak can’t beryllium bully quality for summons sales.

When the archetypal Las Vegas Bowl was played successful 1992, determination were 18 postseason assemblage shot games alternatively of 44. None was named for a gardening instrumentality successful a retention shed (Poulan Weed-Eater). Capital One Bowl Week was inactive a twinkle successful the oculus of a TV executive, and NFL prospects inactive looked guardant to playing successful vessel games.

So erstwhile the California Bowl became the Las Vegas Bowl and Bowling Green of the Mid-American Conference and UNR of the Big West earned the automatic berths, it seemed similar a beauteous large deal.

Nearly 3 decades later, the Las Vegas Bowl has evolved. Instead of a three-hour infomercial for the the city, it’s present astir a 3:45 infomercial for the city, acknowledgment to the West Coast discourtesy and TV timeouts for Dr Pepper featuring a middle-aged Brian Bosworth.

But arsenic Brent Musburger enthusiastically proclaims connected the TV and vigor ads, starting this twelvemonth the Las Vegas Bowl has a caller date, matchup and location that, nary affront to Bowling Green and UNR, should rise the game’s illustration during a caller epoch of sports and amusement successful the metropolis that astir demands it.

Provided that COVID isn’t flagged for targeting again.

Contact Ron Kantowski astatine rkantowski@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski connected Twitter.