http://www.wokv.com/news/news/local/gator-bowl-changing-name-moving-jan-1st/nfRKY/
QuoteAfter 70 years the Gator Bowl - as we've known it - is no more.
The new name of the game removes "gator" entirely, and it will no longer be played on New Years Day, two big changes that we learned Thursday morning from the President of Gator Bowl Sports. The game will now be known as the TaxSlayer Bowl and played on Jan. 2nd.
Dropping "gator" from the name is part of a six-year agreement reached between TaxSlayer.com and the Gator Bowl
Beginning in 2015 the TaxSlayer Bowl will be televised on ESPN January 2nd, which is one day later than years past. It will feature a team from the SEC that will serve as the anchor team. That team will face an opponent from the Big Ten Conference or the Atlantic Coast Conference.
I had a feeling this would happen eventually...
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,16807.msg308207.html#msg308207 (http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,16807.msg308207.html#msg308207)
Yeah. Not a surprise. This needed to get done, and should have been done years ago.
If I had to guess, I would say Verlander is the driving force behind this.
Lame.
Quote from: Traveller on April 03, 2014, 01:54:36 PM
I had a feeling this would happen eventually...
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,16807.msg308207.html#msg308207 (http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,16807.msg308207.html#msg308207)
Yup, you called it. I totally agree with this move. Some people confused that Gator Bowl name with an affiliation to UF. Now to change the name of the Blvd.
The Gator Bowl has been so thoroughly mismanaged I'm surprised it could get a sponsor. A decade ago it picked the best ACC team that didn't make a BCS bowl game, now it will be 7th in the pecking order when the ACC comes back into the rotation.
^The Gator Bowl gets knocked for that, but really the former tie-in was a sinking ship, binding the bowl to two declining conferences, one of which (Big East) has since collapsed. Even during that time, some of the best years were when they bent the rules of the tie-in to take more popular teams instead of ones higher in the rankings, for instance taking FSU in 2010. Looking at what's happened to the Big East, it's a good thing we didn't ride it into the ground.
The GBA saw what was coming and started over with new conference tie-ins, but it's meant starting lower on the pecking order and working back up. The whole thing can be blamed on the rise of the BCS.
This new name is really lame, but I suppose they figure it will help them get the payout needed to be more competitive. Hopefully it works out.
BCS breakup is more of a Vegas thing. More money circulates around a single defined championship game.
NCAA loved the computer approach. Less encroachment of gambling money, now? It's wide open again.
Could have been worse, we could have the Poulan Weedeater Bowl as a name.
Not a fan, even as a mortal enemy of the University of Florida.
Any confusion over the name should have been cleared up over the last 70 years.
The Gator Bowl name is historically significant for Jacksonville, both in regards to the post season classic itself and as a callback to our original post-Fairfield/pre-NFL stadium.
If Dallas can find a way to hold on to the Cotton Bowl name (AT&T Cotton Bowl), and South Florida and Pasadena can preserve the Orange Bowl and Rose Bowl, there's no earthly reason that we should willingly kick a tradition dating back to World War II to the curb.
Typical Jacksonville, in regards to our treatment of our history.
^Yep. Our history of prominence was what set us apart from the other second-tier bowls. Now we're just another game with a silly name, no matter how much payout we get from the sponsor for the next six years.
^^our history of prominence set us apart as a second tier bowl? Unless you mean helped us now become a third tier or less not sure how that history of prominence was really working. So keeping the Gator Bowl name was protecting our history or would it have been more of Jax living in the past and not keeping up with the changing world? Personally I say more of the latter.
^The Gator Bowl declined for reasons unrelated to its history. However, its climb back up has been strongly related to its history as a good bowl to attend and sponsor. Even this past year attendance was well ahead of the Capital One and Outback, and not far behind the Chick-Fil-A, Alamo, and even the Fiesta Bowl. So what does selling out our history get us, exactly?
^ From a marketing and promotional standpoint, it's stupid to the point that somebody should lose their job over it. The Gator Bowl, regardless of its current standing, is a name with 70 years of history behind it that can exploited and sold. It's the sixth oldest bowl game in the nation and has, at various times, been in the top five to ten in importance. Blows my mind that those in charge genuinely thinks that what ever incremental boost the game might receive by changing the name from the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl to simply The Taxslayer Bowl is greater than the cost of flushing seven decades of tradition down the toilet. You can't put a price on legacy. Our grandfathers took our fathers to the Gator Bowl. By changing the name, you're starting over. For what? A slightly better chance at getting on ESPN in prime time? How? It's like sawing off your leg to fix a tooth ache. Leave the name alone until you identify the fundamental reasons that the Gator Bowl has fallen from prominence.
Quote from: Tacachale on April 04, 2014, 11:56:29 AM
^The Gator Bowl declined for reasons unrelated to its history. However, its climb back up has been strongly related to its history as a good bowl to attend and sponsor. Even this past year attendance was well ahead of the Capital One and Outback, and not far behind the Chick-Fil-A, Alamo, and even the Fiesta Bowl. So what does selling out our history get us, exactly?
Guess I have not noticed this climb back up the tier you have noticed. Yes they announced a very inflated attendance for this years game. Prior year not so much. How about tv ratings for these bowls we may have nudged out in announced attendance? Payouts to teams? Those are more indicative of the tier status of a bowl in my opinion. I just don't see the big deal on the change as to most itmis obvious what has been happening has not been working. Until they get the payouts up and tv ratings up which will allow them better selections of teams there will not be a positive change to the tier status. In my opinion this is a good first step in that direction regardless of what the game officially called as most will still call it the Gator Bowl anyway.
Most don't call the Chik-Fil-a bowl by its name, we call it the peach bowl, which it was until the official corporate sellout. Pretty soon the rose, orange, cotton will all go by the wayside in preparation for the corporate sponsor with the most bucks.
Quote from: edjax on April 04, 2014, 12:13:04 PM
Quote from: Tacachale on April 04, 2014, 11:56:29 AM
^The Gator Bowl declined for reasons unrelated to its history. However, its climb back up has been strongly related to its history as a good bowl to attend and sponsor. Even this past year attendance was well ahead of the Capital One and Outback, and not far behind the Chick-Fil-A, Alamo, and even the Fiesta Bowl. So what does selling out our history get us, exactly?
Guess I have not noticed this climb back up the tier you have noticed. Yes they announced a very inflated attendance for this years game. Prior year not so much. How about tv ratings for these bowls we may have nudged out in announced attendance? Payouts to teams? Those are more indicative of the tier status of a bowl in my opinion. I just don't see the big deal on the change as to most itmis obvious what has been happening has not been working. Until they get the payouts up and tv ratings up which will allow them better selections of teams there will not be a positive change to the tier status. In my opinion this is a good first step in that direction regardless of what the game officially called as most will still call it the Gator Bowl anyway.
The bowl declined for reasons unrelated to the name "Gator Bowl": the rise of the dysfunctional BCS and conference tie ins, the decline of the ACC and Big East (which collapsed), and the increasing importance of sponsorships. The old tie-in was a sinking ship, so the bowl had to start lower in the ladder with the new tie in and work their way back up.
They were already in the process of that. Last year they increased the payout to $3,500,000 (http://www.philsteele.com/bowls/13-14/bowlprojections.html), the 3rd highest outside BCS. It leapfrogged the Outback ($2,500,000), Buffalo Wild Wings ($3,350,000) and Cotton ( $3,375,000), about matching the Chick-Fil-A Bowl (they gave $2,930,00 to Texas A&M, though an ACC winner would have gotten $3,970,000), and approaching the Capital One Bowl ($4,550,000). This was before the name change, and the full impact still hasn't taken effect yet.
TV ratings were indeed low, but still up considerably with a 2.6 rating, an 87% increase (http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/01/college_football_bowl_tv_viewe.html) over the previous year. And as I said, the attendance beat Capital One and Outback, and came fairly close to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl and even the Fiesta Bowl (they *all* use "tickets distributed" measures for attendance).
I think everyone agrees that higher payouts, and therefore stronger opponents, will be the cure. But things have indeed been improving for the Gator Bowl even before this name change, and its reputation as a good bowl to see and sponsor despite several down years have made it possible.
I can only think of about 236,456,347,899 better names! This is the stupidest sounding name I've heard since 'All Aboard Florida,' and it easily trumps that one. This is one of those names so bad that you get embarrassed when you think someone noticed your watching 'The TaxSlayer Bowl,' and you quickly change the channels to reruns of 'The Waltons.' Any Jax residents around in the 1980's will recall the horrid 'Peanut Butter Proof and Chicken Proof' vinyl siding guy on TV, diving for the controller to LOOK for 'The Waltons.' Same effect here. What was it that Momma Gump always said?
My guess most people don't tune into watch a bowl game based upon the name. My guess is they see who is playing in the game and decide to watch or not. But sure lets focus on the name because that gives us something else to whine about as is usual for here.
I think the issue is, how does this new name get better teams? Clearly there are at least some people interested in history.
I would say the new name will bring more attention to said company who may then increase payout which will result in better teams. Perhaps now that other companies see they were willing to drop the gator and go with sponsor name solely it could result it even better offers down the road. Who knows for sure? But I think the status quo was not really working. I am all for history and all but really just a name and to the locals it will always be the Gator Bowl and still played none the less in the Gator Bowl.
We should move this to all sporting events that have a tradition title...such as the SuperBowl...change that to the Ford F150-Boner Pill-Doritos-Lite Beer Championship.
Quote from: Ocklawaha on April 04, 2014, 01:09:50 PM
I can only think of about 236,456,347,899 better names! This is the stupidest sounding name I've heard since 'All Aboard Florida,' and it easily trumps that one. This is one of those names so bad that you get embarrassed when you think someone noticed your watching 'The TaxSlayer Bowl,' and you quickly change the channels to reruns of 'The Waltons.' Any Jax residents around in the 1980's will recall the horrid 'Peanut Butter Proof and Chicken Proof' vinyl siding guy on TV, diving for the controller to LOOK for 'The Waltons.' Same effect here. What was it that Momma Gump always said?
It is no worse than the New Era Pinstripe, Royal Purple, Beef 'O' Brady's, SD County Credit Union, AdvoCare V100, and the now defunct Emerald Nuts Bowls.
I never liked the Gator Bowl name from the get-go for quite a few reasons (confusion with UF, calling EverBank Field that etc). I didn't like the Taxslayer name either, but it's all for the sake of progression. The payout will be twice as much as the Toyota Gator Bowl, we'll be right behind the Capital One Bowl, and we'll have the primetime Taxslayer Bowl game next year. Far as the Cotton, Orange, and Rose Bowls, they were already on the top of the heap anyway, so that's an apples and oranges comparison. So either hold on to this confusing old timey name, or double (maybe even more in the future) the payout, no 'controversy' with me.
Quote from: Ron Mexico on April 04, 2014, 02:40:15 PM
We should move this to all sporting events that have a tradition title...such as the SuperBowl...change that to the Ford F150-Boner Pill-Doritos-Lite Beer Championship.
Works for me. And everyone will still call it the Super Bowl just as the locals will still call it the Gator Bowl played downtown at the Gator Bowl.
If the city can somehow parlay the name change into increased tourism revenue and a skyway/trolley expansion out to the sports complex, who cares what the name is?
QuoteIf the city can somehow parlay the name change into increased tourism revenue and a skyway/trolley expansion out to the sports complex, who cares what the name is?
The name of the stupid game has absolutely Zero to do with the fans who are the economic engine of the game. When Catlett throws around 30-50 million economic impact, its not because of the name TaxSlayer. Its the fans from the teams that come to support their team.
Catlett has to do a better job of getting winning programs that will support their teams and travel. The fans are the engine that drives the impact. There are already buses that travel to Everbank Field for game day and the parking lots and garages need to have their debt service paid, so adding more buses for the Arena and Baseball grounds chops off your hands to spite your face.
Quote from: mtraininjax on April 06, 2014, 09:26:44 AM
QuoteIf the city can somehow parlay the name change into increased tourism revenue and a skyway/trolley expansion out to the sports complex, who cares what the name is?
The name of the stupid game has absolutely Zero to do with the fans who are the economic engine of the game. When Catlett throws around 30-50 million economic impact, its not because of the name TaxSlayer. Its the fans from the teams that come to support their team.
Catlett has to do a better job of getting winning programs that will support their teams and travel. The fans are the engine that drives the impact. There are already buses that travel to Everbank Field for game day and the parking lots and garages need to have their debt service paid, so adding more buses for the Arena and Baseball grounds chops off your hands to spite your face.
Bingo. And the current pecking order the Gator Bowl finds itself in, we will be getting games like Mississippi State vs Pitt more often than not. The few times we do get a good team will be because they had a disappointing season and fans won't be so apt to throw down cash to have a fun couple of days in Florida.
Quote from: I-10east on April 04, 2014, 03:12:14 PM
I never liked the Gator Bowl name from the get-go for quite a few reasons (confusion with UF, calling EverBank Field that etc). I didn't like the Taxslayer name either, but it's all for the sake of progression. The payout will be twice as much as the Toyota Gator Bowl, we'll be right behind the Capital One Bowl, and we'll have the primetime Taxslayer Bowl game next year. Far as the Cotton, Orange, and Rose Bowls, they were already on the top of the heap anyway, so that's an apples and oranges comparison. So either hold on to this confusing old timey name, or double (maybe even more in the future) the payout, no 'controversy' with me.
What was appealing about keeping the Gator Bowl name in the title is that, regardless of the sponsor changes, it was always the Gator Bowl at heart. If and when the sponsorship changes in the future, it will come across as disjointed with little connection to the past or tradition IMHO...
The name is not important. It's failure or success relies on the 2 teams playing in it.
Quote from: KenFSU on April 04, 2014, 12:06:30 PM
^ From a marketing and promotional standpoint, it's stupid to the point that somebody should lose their job over it. The Gator Bowl, regardless of its current standing, is a name with 70 years of history behind it that can exploited and sold. It's the sixth oldest bowl game in the nation and has, at various times, been in the top five to ten in importance. Blows my mind that those in charge genuinely thinks that what ever incremental boost the game might receive by changing the name from the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl to simply The Taxslayer Bowl is greater than the cost of flushing seven decades of tradition down the toilet. You can't put a price on legacy. Our grandfathers took our fathers to the Gator Bowl. By changing the name, you're starting over. For what? A slightly better chance at getting on ESPN in prime time? How? It's like sawing off your leg to fix a tooth ache. Leave the name alone until you identify the fundamental reasons that the Gator Bowl has fallen from prominence.
+1
The name is stupid, but other games have been changed over the last decade or two! Peach Bowl, Citrus Bowl... The Gator Bowl is just another casualty! I won't be surprised if they change "The Granddaddy of 'em all", The Rose Bowl to the Vizio Bowl! Meinike Car Care Bowl? Hahahaha!
There was a bowl game in Louisiana that had a really weird name! I can't remember it!
Quote from: Ocklawaha on April 04, 2014, 01:09:50 PM
I can only think of about 236,456,347,899 better names! This is the stupidest sounding name I've heard since 'All Aboard Florida,' and it easily trumps that one. This is one of those names so bad that you get embarrassed when you think someone noticed your watching 'The TaxSlayer Bowl,' and you quickly change the channels to reruns of 'The Waltons.' Any Jax residents around in the 1980's will recall the horrid 'Peanut Butter Proof and Chicken Proof' vinyl siding guy on TV, diving for the controller to LOOK for 'The Waltons.' Same effect here. What was it that Momma Gump always said?
+1
The Taxslayer Bowl- What a joke.
Today's front page headline in the 4/6/14 Florida Times Union- Pension Debt is Runaway Problem
Visit Jacksonville!
Bankruptcy ticket discount
Foreclosure ticket discount
Red light camera ticket discount
JEA surcharge ticket discount
We'll sell out.
This has to be positive.
Quote from: SightseerLounge on April 06, 2014, 05:49:17 PM
There was a bowl game in Louisiana that had a really weird name! I can't remember it!
That would be the Independence Bowl...that at one point was sponsored by Poulan Weed Eater
At one time, the Clean Shower company wanted to sponsor - either they didn't have enugh money, or the GBA thought it beneath them.
Quote from: Charles Hunter on April 07, 2014, 04:05:41 AM
At one time, the Clean Shower company wanted to sponsor - either they didn't have enugh money, or the GBA thought it beneath them.
If I recall correctly, Clean Shower actually wanted to buy overall naming rights to the stadium, rather than naming rights for the Gator Bowl game itself. They supposedly put in a higher offer than Alltel. Though I'm certain the name factored in to the decision, the official reason given for choosing Alltel for the multi-year deal was that it was a more stable, established business than Clean Shower.
I understand why people are upset about the name change, eliminating the Gator Bowl name. Especially those who grew up in Jacksonville. But like the stadium name, a change in the bowl game name was necessary. The Gator Bowl game has been dying a slow death for a while. Selling the naming rights willl increase the payout, therefore bringing in a better matchup.
Catlett has allowed the Gator Bowl to decrease in importance for several years. This move feels like a Verlander move to me. He is very forward thinking and sees the bigger picture.
It's definitely being framed that way, but increasing the payout and establishing tie-ins with conferences that weren't collapsing are things they've already done.
The important thing for the future is getting college playoff games here and eventually the occasional championship game once our hotel room count measures up.
Thanks for the clarification, BenFSU.
Mayor Photo Op should embrace the new name.
Quote from: Tacachale on April 07, 2014, 11:30:08 AM
It's definitely being framed that way, but increasing the payout and establishing tie-ins with conferences that weren't collapsing are things they've already done.
And they have been slowly sliding down the pecking order for years. This was a necessary move unless they want to float off into obscurity with games like the Liberty Bowl and Belk Bowl. This will at least keep Jacksonville in the conversation when it comes to the playoff games.
Hard to even care. The creation of the BCS years ago destroyed ALL of the bowl games decades ago.
The 'Peach' is back in Atlanta's 'Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl'. I really could care less if the 'Gator' comes back in Jax's annual collegiate bowl game, but I have a gut feeling that it eventually will. There are many in Jax who absolutely ADORE that Gator name; Some in higher places, and some fans alike. At One Spark 2014, I saw the freaking Gator Bowl Gator mascot walking down Laura St, and a person wearing a Gator Bowl hat.
http://news.sportslogos.net/2014/04/21/the-peach-returns-to-the-chick-fil-a-bowl/
Taxslayer has agreed to bring back the Gator Bowl name.
Starting with this year's game, it will be the Taxslayer Gator Bowl.
Maybe they could also bring back decent matchups to the game.
The Gator Bowl has to get in the rotation of the Big 6 bowls in order to get a better matchup. This probably won't happen until Lot J is developed and their is a hotel next to the stadium.
I would agree with that. And even then, it is no guarantee.
Unfortunately, the Gator/Taxslayer/Gator Bowl was allowed to slip further and further back in the pecking order of bowls.
Just a quick skim shows that this year's game was the first in four years to even feature a ranked team. It has not featured two ranked teams since 2006. The 30 years or so prior to that, it would nearly always feature two ranked teams. Sometimes two highly ranked teams.
Kudos to ESPN and their broadcast of the 2025 Taxslayer Bowl which used stock footage of the 'Modis' building and the Jacksonville Landing.
https://giantswire.usatoday.com/story/news/local/2025/12/29/espn-shows-jacksonville-landing-during-gator-bowl-broadcast/87946477007/ (https://giantswire.usatoday.com/story/news/local/2025/12/29/espn-shows-jacksonville-landing-during-gator-bowl-broadcast/87946477007/)
Quote from: Todd_Parker on December 30, 2025, 09:06:11 PM
Kudos to ESPN and their broadcast of the 2025 Taxslayer Bowl which used stock footage of the 'Modis' building and the Jacksonville Landing.
https://giantswire.usatoday.com/story/news/local/2025/12/29/espn-shows-jacksonville-landing-during-gator-bowl-broadcast/87946477007/ (https://giantswire.usatoday.com/story/news/local/2025/12/29/espn-shows-jacksonville-landing-during-gator-bowl-broadcast/87946477007/)
ESPN is an affront to sports broadcasting, notwithstanding their virtual monopoly in the segment. I'll watch a FOX, NBC, or CBS broadcast between teams I don't even care about before I watch that joke of a "network." The epitome of complacency, conceit, and greed.
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