The bowl game named after a pirate is moving to a pirate ship. No, seriously.
In an ‘only in college football’ type of move, former ESPN reporter Brett McMurphy is reporting that the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl is moving from St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field (home of MLB’s Rays) to Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium (home of the NFL’s Bucs).
Sources: After 10 years, Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl is leaving St. Pete’s Tropicana Field for Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium https://t.co/rXokphvjNJ
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) May 23, 2018
The move is being framed as being a way to boost attendance for the game after several years of lackluster crowds at the rather remote baseball stadium in the Tampa area. Raymond James is no stranger to hosting bowl games, serving as the home of the Outback Bowl as well as hosting the national title game in 2017 between Clemson and Alabama.
The Gasparilla Bowl is owned and operated by ESPN and will pit teams from the American against a squad from either the ACC or Conference USA on December 20th.