Uncertainty in Toronto.

[NY-BG-FAN]

Was just on ESPN, where I read that the Blue Jays have purchased the Sky Dome from the public company that used to own it. I hope this doesn't affect the proposed 3rd automatic bowl tie in for the MAC starting in 2006 against the Big East. Now that the Blue Jays are in sole control of the stadium, I'm worried they won' t allow anything besides baseball to played in it, as I also read that the CFL team that plays there is moving into a new stadium of their own. If every year is like this year, where it looks like several MAC team will get bowl spots anyway, I guess it's not a a big deal other than it would be cool for an American bowl game to be played up in Toronto at the dome. I don't know if every year will go as well as this one though bowl-wise. Anyone have anymore details?

[Schadenfreude]

Now that the Blue Jays are in sole control of the stadium, I'm worried they won' t allow anything besides baseball to played in it, as I also read that the CFL team that plays there is moving into a new stadium of their own.

Since it's an artificial-turfed dome, I wouldn't think a bowl game would represent anything but an opportunity for the Jays.

[NWLB]

Stadium owners hate dark time in their venue. An NCAA bowl game doesn't conflict with their baseball schedule. Promoting the Jays to American tourists that might come back to town, isn't a bad deal either. Besides, from what I can tell, the game isn't going to cost them anything to have there.

[BelieveNBG]

After this years problems with having enough bowl eligible teams, I would be surprised if any other bowls get added.

[orangeandbrown]

Believe, I think that's right. IF they do add bowls, they would have to change eligibility rules. Don't bowls sometimes cycle out, too?

[NWLB]

I don't think this year will prevent bowls from being formed. Until and if they approve a 12 game season, it just means some games must lock in an affiliation.

Plus we had two teams remove themselves from the post season, and two others were effectively wiped out by going to islands this year.

I think Toronto will do just fine. IF anything, it provides leverage for the MAC. Other bowls that might wish to lock-in the conference's services again, in the event of a tight year. So really, this is a win-win-win type of thing. We win this year. We win with Toronto. We win because other bowls will want to lock us in, against the advent of another tight year.

[Class of 61]

I think Toronto will do just fine. IF anything, it provides leverage for the MAC. Other bowls that might wish to lock-in the conference's services again, in the event of a tight year. So really, this is a win-win-win type of thing. We win this year. We win with Toronto. We win because other bowls will want to lock us in, against the advent of another tight year.

NWLB
I can't agree with your evaluation on this...I felt, even if this happens to be a "down" year for eligible teams, that this would hurt either or both the Toronto and/or Indianapolis Bowls, which tentatively at least, were to "tie in" with the MAC... Hard to imagine the NCAA OKing 2 additional bowls after the problems of this year. But, I must admit, a trip to Toronto would be really neat during bowl season.

[NWLB]

That is the trick though. The NCAA already knows it can't stop the formation of bowl games. That is why they withdrew their temporary cap on authorizing games a few years ago. Their legal section told them if pushed, they couldn't stop it in a court battle.

It isn't that we will see this every single year. It is the fact that it happened even once. With the new BCS game coming, that is going to eat another pair of slots, especially with the mid-majors creeping close, in greater numbers, to getting at-large bids. These bowls, such as the SVB, know full well they could get stuck with an Akron, if they don't lock in a better team from the leagues prone to have teams locked out. They won't want to risk somebody else doing the same. We might not get a bid from these bowls every year, but when the breaks go our way, it removes some uncertainty.

The MAC isn't going to avoid trying to lock some bids in. The real question is how will those bowls lock in a team from a league that won't possibly leave them half a game. If there is a downfall to my hopes, it is in that more than anything.