2025-26 Coca-Cola Bowl Season Annual Report

2025-26 Annual Report

The Coca-Cola Bowl Season Celebration Continues

As we reflect on the 2025–26 Bowl Season, I'm filled with gratitude and optimism for the future of college football's postseason This year was a powerful reminder that while our sport continues to evolve, the traditions, experiences, and communities that make Bowl Season special remain as meaningful and relevant as ever

The defining milestone of the year was the launch of the Coca-Cola Bowl Season partnership While bowl games have existed for more than a century, the Bowl Season brand itself was created just five years ago with a vision of bringing together the collective strength of college football's postseason To secure a globally recognized partner such as Coca-Cola in such a short period of time represents a significant achievement for our member bowls and validates the belief that there is tremendous value in promoting and celebrating the postseason as a unified platform

our member bowls continued their longstanding commitment to supporting their local communities through charitable giving, educational initiatives, and year-round community service Collectively, bowl games generated an estimated $1 .4 billion in economic impact while serving as ambassadors for both college football and the communities they proudly represent

What makes Bowl Season unique is that it remains one of the few opportunities in sports where competition, celebration, community, and tradition intersect . It provides unforgettable experiences for student-athletes, creates lasting memories for fans, showcases great destinations across the country, and serves as an annual celebration of the game we all love

Just as importantly, fans once again demonstrated their passion for bowl games During the second season of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, many questioned what the future might hold for traditional bowl games The answer came from millions of college football fans who continued to tune in, attend games, engage digitally, and celebrate the postseason experience . Non-College Football Playoff bowl games averaged 3 1 million viewers, the highest average audience in a decade and a 25% increase since the Playoff expanded from four teams to twelve The message was clear: bowl games continue to matter Beyond the field, Bowl Season continued to grow in meaningful ways Our digital platforms reached record audiences, fan engagement initiatives expanded, and

The pages that follow highlight the many accomplishments of the past year and the collective efforts of the bowl organizations, conferences, corporate partners, broadcasters, and countless individuals who make Bowl Season possible Thank you for your continued support of our mission and for helping ensure that college football's postseason remains one of the most meaningful and enduring traditions in American sports

We are proud of what we accomplished this year, excited about the opportunities ahead, and committed to continuing to grow Bowl Season for future generations of student-athletes and fans

Nick Carparelli Executive Director Coca-Cola Bowl Season

Celebrating More Than a Century of Bowl Season Tradition

What began as a postseason showcase has evolved into a national celebration of college football — uniting student-athletes, coaches, universities, marching bands, spirit squads, communities, and millions of passionate fans each holiday season

From mid-December through early January, Bowl Season transforms the college football landscape . Historic matchups are created . Lifelong memories are made Communities across the country welcome teams and fans while showcasing the unique traditions that make each bowl game distinct

Beyond the games themselves, Bowl Season serves as the collective voice of college football’s postseason — working year-round to strengthen the bowl system, advocate for its members, create strategic partnerships, and ensure the long-term success of one of sports’ most enduring traditions

By honoring its history while continuing to innovate for the future, Bowl Season remains committed to preserving what makes the postseason experience special for generations to come

VISION

Coca-Cola Bowl Season is an annual celebration of college football

MISSION

Coca-Cola Bowl Season promotes the game of college football by providing meaningful experiences and life-long memories for players, coaches, fans, universities and communities across the country

GAME PLAN

COCA-COLA BOWL SEASON

The Association

Coca-Cola Bowl Season serves as the collective association of every college football bowl game This organization serves its membership by focusing on:

• Communication and advocacy with the stakeholders in college football

• Creating operational efficiencies by expanding business relationships, forming strategic partnerships and enhancing professional development opportunities

• Revenue generation through corporate partnerships and the creation & development of new assets

BOWL SEASON

The Time of Year

Bowl Season is a time of year when American sports fans celebrate the game of college football Beginning in mid-December and running through early January, we use this platform to:

• Communicate how meaningful bowl games are to everyone involved by acting as the leading voice for college football’s postseason

• Market the games and sport to the millions of fans who love college football through strategic and creative initiatives

• Promote the value that bowl games provide to the sport, its stakeholders, participants and host communities .

2025-26 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

TELEVISION VIEWERSHIP

Fans Continue to Tune In

The 2025–26 Bowl Season delivered some of the strongest television audiences of the modern era, reaffirming the enduring appeal of college football’s postseason and the continued value of bowl games as premier national sporting events .

As college football completed its second season under the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff format, fan interest in traditional bowl games remained remarkably strong Following a decade in which only four teams qualified for the Playoff, many observers anticipated that expanding access to the national championship would diminish interest in the broader bowl system Instead, television audiences continued to grow

Across 33 non-College Football Playoff bowl games televised on ESPN platforms, average viewership reached 3.1 million viewers , representing a 25% increase over the two seasons since the Playoff expanded from four teams to twelve and a 13% increase year-overyear The figure marks the highest average audience for non-CFP bowl games since the 2015–16 season and provides compelling evidence that fan demand for postseason college football remains stronger than ever .

VIEWERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS

+25%

Growth Since Expansion to the 12-Team College Football Playoff

+13%

Year-Over-Year Growth

Several Bowl Season games generated audiences that rivaled — and in some cases exceeded — College Football Playoff contests The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl attracted 9.1 million viewers, while the Pop-Tarts Bowl drew 8.7 million viewers , making both among the mostwatched non-CFP and non–New Year’s Six bowl games in recent history The Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl added another 7.6 million viewers , with the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (6 0 million) and Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl (5 4 million) also delivering exceptional audiences .

4 All-Time Bowl Viewership Records Set

The season produced exceptional results across the Bowl Season lineup Four bowl games established all-time audience records, while ten bowls recorded their highest viewership in at least five years and eight achieved their best audience in a decade The results demonstrated the continued relevance of bowl games within the college football landscape and reinforced their ability to deliver meaningful national exposure for participating conferences, institutions, sponsors, and host communities

8 Bowls Reached a 10-Year Viewership High 9.1M 8.7M 7.6M

8

Non-CFP Bowls Outdrew an OpeningRound CFP Game

3.1M Average Viewers Across Non-CFP Bowl Games with highest Average Since 2015–16

Notably, the Citrus Bowl, PopTarts Bowl, and Pinstripe Bowl each attracted larger television audiences than two of the four opening-round College Football Playoff games In total, eight non-CFP bowl games outperformed one of the four opening-round Playoff contests, all of which attracted more than four million viewers These results underscore the continued strength of the bowl system and the ability of compelling matchups, passionate fan bases, and longstanding traditions to attract national audiences

10

Bowls Posted Their Best Audience in Five or More Years

The strong performance of both traditional bowl games and the College Football Playoff highlights a broader reality: fans continue to embrace postseason college football in all its forms Rather than competing with one another, bowl games and the Playoff have collectively created a postseason that generates unprecedented interest, engagement, and viewership across the sport

More than a century after the first bowl game was played, Bowl Season continues to deliver what it always has — a national stage, compelling competition, and millions of engaged fans

BOWL SEASON BRAND VALUE

From Tradition to Enterprise Value

For more than a century, individual bowl games built some of the most recognizable and beloved brands in college athletics . From Pasadena to Miami, Tampa to El Paso, bowl organizations created deep community ties, loyal fan bases, and enduring traditions that became synonymous with the college football postseason experience

What did not exist — until recently — was a unified brand that represented the collective power of the entire postseason

That changed on October 23, 2020, when bowl leaders came together to launch Bowl Season

The vision was ambitious: preserve the individuality of each bowl game while creating a unified platform capable of marketing, promoting, advocating for, and monetizing the collective value of college football’s postseason

At launch, Bowl Season had no owned media platform, no digital infrastructure, and no commercial assets of meaningful scale What existed was a belief that the combined reach of more than 30 bowl games represented untapped enterprise value .

Over the next five years, Bowl Season methodically built that foundation

• A national website

• A multi-platform social media presence

• A growing email database

• National radio distribution

• Fan engagement platforms

• New sponsorship inventory

• Live TV broadcast exposure .

Most importantly, Bowl Season brought together more than 30 independently operated organizations to create something that had never previously existed in college athletics — a scalable commercial platform built from collaboration rather than consolidation

That strategy reached a defining milestone in 2025

A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND PARTNERSHIP

The Coca-Cola Company, leveraging its iconic master brand Coca-Cola, became the first-ever title sponsor of an entire college football postseason category

The partnership represented a firstof-its-kind agreement across more than 30 independent bowl organizations and validated the long-term strategy behind the Bowl Season brand

Unlike a traditional sponsorship tied to a single event, Coca-Cola gained national visibility across an entire season of college football traditions — reaching fans through live broadcasts, in-stadium activations, digital platforms, social media, radio programming, and fan experiences

The partnership delivered:

• 76+ million television viewers reached

• 810,000+ fans in attendance

• 23 million+ social media impressions during activation

• 5.25 million radio listeners reached with 1,000+ radio mentions

• 1+ million website pageviews during activation

The campaign required unprecedented coordination across bowl organizations, broadcast partners, venues, agencies, and corporate partners — all executed in a compressed activation window following the November 25 partnership announcement

The result was immediate and measurable

$52.4 MILLION IN TOTAL EARNED MEDIA VALUE

A third-party valuation conducted by Futures Sports & Entertainment (part of the Omnicom Group, the world’s largest advertising and marketing services company) confirmed what Bowl Season believed from the very beginning:

The collective platform creates significant enterprise value

During the 2025-26 postseason, combined Coca-Cola Bowl Season and Bowl Season assets generated:

$14.1M

Coca-Cola Bowl Season Branded Assets

$44.1M Live Television Exposure

$38.3M

Broader Bowl Season Branded Assets

$4.58M Radio Exposure

Additional value was generated through:

Social media | Print media | Website traffic EA Sports integrations | Fan engagement platforms | In-venue impressions

THE OPPORTUNITY AHEAD

The most exciting takeaway may be what comes next . Today, approximately 27% of total Bowl Season brand value is currently being captured through Coca-Cola title sponsorship assets

That means significant untapped opportunity remains and we have worked closely with The Coca-Cola Company and its agencies to help them ‘unlock’ greater value by leveraging Bowl Season even further

By expanding integration opportunities — including broader broadcast visibility through ESPN, and the other partnered media companies, along with additional enterprise-level collaboration — CocaCola’s measurable value could grow from $14 1 million to more than $45 million in future seasons And with The Coca-Cola Company actively planning it’s national

promotional and activation efforts to further leverage Coca-Cola Bowl Season, we’re confident that each coming year of this iconic partnership will drive our collaborative efforts to new heights

That opportunity represents the future of Bowl Season:

• Preserving tradition

• Creating innovation

• Unlocking new value

Five years after launch, Bowl Season has evolved from a new idea into one of the most innovative commercial platforms in college sports — and the runway ahead is even greater

Promoting the Game. Advocating for the Postseason.

Throughout the 2025–26 season, Bowl Season continued to elevate the national conversation around college football’s postseason through a coordinated communications strategy centered on thought leadership, advocacy, and year-round media engagement

Led by Executive Director Nick Carparelli, Bowl Season’s public relations efforts are grounded in a clear purpose: to promote the game of college football and advocate for the continued strength, value, and relevance of the bowl system These efforts are not focused on self-promotion, but rather on serving the broader interests of the sport by telling the story of why bowl games continue to matter — to student-athletes, coaches, universities, communities, fans, and the college football ecosystem as a whole

From June 2025 through the conclusion of Bowl Season in January 2026, Carparelli participated in 23 national and regional media appearances across podcasts, live digital programming, print media, and radio Bowl Season recorded a 35% increase in external media engagement year-over-year, reflecting growing national interest in the future of college football’s postseason and Bowl Season’s expanding role in shaping that dialogue

Media conversations throughout the year focused on some of the most important topics facing the sport, including the future of the bowl system, the impact of the expanded College Football Playoff, student-athlete participation trends, conference realignment, postseason economics, and fan engagement Across every platform, Bowl Season

remained committed to providing perspective, context, and leadership during a period of significant change across college athletics . Coverage in leading national outlets including The Athletic, Front Office Sports, Sportico, Sports Business Journal, ESPN, and The Associated Press positioned Bowl Season as a trusted voice in the evolving postseason landscape . Through strategic messaging and consistent media engagement, Bowl Season helped reinforce the bowl system’s unique place within college football while advocating for its long-term sustainability

At its core, Bowl Season’s communications work serves a larger purpose: protecting and promoting one of the most distinctive, meaningful, and enduring postseasons in all of sports

KEY MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

23

National and regional media appearances across podcasts, live digital programming, print, and radio

35%

The percentage of increase in external media engagement year-over-year

Featured in national conversations surrounding the future of college football’s postseason structure and bowl participation trends

Participated in interviews discussing the impact of the expanded College Football Playoff and the continued value of the bowl ecosystem

Earned recurring coverage in premier sports business and college football media outlets

“ESPN bowl games continue to deliver viewership.”

“Bowl games are unique — you carry them through the entire six months before we play again.”

– Bret Bielema, Illinois Head Coach

“College football bowl games can survive player opt-outs…”

– Stewart Mandel, The Athletic

– Ben Portnoy, Sports Business Journal

“What’s the future of bowl games? Bowl Season director talks impact of CFP, opt-outs and more.”

– Scott Dochterman, The Athletic

“We all want it to be great. We all want to be in the playoff, but you know, anybody that says bowls don’t matter didn’t watch this game tonight, because bowls matter.”

– Sonny Dykes, TCU Head Coach

“A Pop-Tarts champion is crowned, breathing life into bowl season.”

– Sam Settleman & Alex Kirshner, The Athletic

“Best of 2025 college football bowl games: Mascots, mayhem, more.”

– Ryan McGee, ESPN

“Bowl Season director says ‘market will dictate’ future.”

– Drew Lerner, Awful Announcing

The Digital Home of Bowl Season

Since its launch in 2020, BowlSeason com has grown into the central digital hub for college football’s postseason — connecting fans, media, bowl organizations, and partners through one shared platform

Throughout the 2025–26 season, BowlSeason com served as a trusted destination for information, storytelling, and engagement across the Bowl Season landscape As fans followed the postseason from matchup announcements through kickoff and championship week, the website remained a go-to source for schedules, television information, scores, and bowl-related news

Over the past three years, BowlSeason com has averaged 2,624,574 total page views annually, underscoring its importance as a year-round destination for college football postseason content Of that total, an average of 2,330,442 page views occurred during the threemonth Bowl Season window from November through January, meaning 89% of annual website traffic was generated during the postseason itself The surge reinforces BowlSeason com's role as the trusted digital destination for fans seeking schedules, matchups, television information, scores, and bowl-related news throughout the holiday season .

WEBSITE ANALYTICS (3-year average)

2.62M

Total Page Views

Beyond serving fans, BowlSeason com continues to function as an important communications platform for Bowl Season membership The website highlights news, announcements, feature stories, and media coverage from bowl organizations nationwide — creating a centralized destination that celebrates the individuality of each bowl while reinforcing the collective strength of the Bowl Season brand

The site also serves as the digital home for many of

2.33M

Total Page Views During Bowl Season

89% of Website Traffic During Bowl Season

Bowl Season’s signature initiatives and partnerships, including the Coca-Cola Bowl Season Pick’em Game, podcasts, newsletters, publications, sponsor integrations, and media resources By bringing these experiences together on one platform, BowlSeason com helps drive audience engagement while creating added visibility and value for members, partners, and stakeholders

As Bowl Season continues to expand its digital footprint, BowlSeason com remains the year-round home of college football’s postseason — informing fans, amplifying stories, and showcasing the traditions that make bowl season one of the most celebrated times in American sports

DIGITAL BROADCASTS

Expanding the Conversation

As audience consumption habits continue to evolve, Bowl Season has continued to expand its digital media footprint through original content, on-demand programming, and national audio distribution Across podcasting, live digital content, terrestrial radio, satellite radio, and streaming platforms, Bowl Season’s digital broadcasts help extend the postseason conversation beyond game day — reaching fans wherever and however they consume college football content .

During the 2025–26 season, Bowl Season continued to grow Any Given Season, the organization’s flagship podcast focused on the people, stories and evolving landscape of college football

Originally launched to broaden Bowl Season’s editorial voice beyond postseason coverage, the podcast has become a year-round platform for exclusive interviews, industry conversations and storytelling from across the sport Episodes explored leadership, tradition, media, player development and the future of college football while elevating the Bowl Season brand through long-form digital engagement

During the 2025–26 cycle, Any Given Season generated more than 100,000 total views and listens, reflecting continued audience growth and strong engagement across digital platforms

As Bowl Season continues to invest in original content and digital storytelling, Any Given Season remains an important platform for strengthening fan engagement, extending the Bowl Season brand year-round and creating meaningful conversations around the people and traditions that define college football

Coca-Cola Bowl Season Radio continued to provide national audio coverage of college football’s postseason throughout the 2025–26 season, delivering live game broadcasts and Bowl Season programming to fans across the country Broadcasts aired nationally through terrestrial radio affiliates and SiriusXM, with additional streaming available through TuneIn, Audacy, and The Varsity Network . During the 2025–26 postseason, Coca-Cola Bowl Season Radio reached an audience of more than 5.25 million listeners The national schedule featured bowl game coverage from across the country, including broadcasts originating from Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts , Nevada , South Carolina , and Texas — reflecting the broad geographic reach of the bowl system and the national scale of Bowl Season’s audio distribution platform .

Coca-Cola Bowl Season Radio remains a key component of Bowl Season’s broader media strategy, connecting fans to the postseason through accessible, real-time coverage while expanding visibility for participating bowls, host communities, and corporate partners nationwide

SOCIAL MEDIA

Amplifying the Bowl Season Story

Social media continued to serve as one of Bowl Season's most powerful tools for engaging fans, amplifying bowl games, and celebrating the traditions that make college football's postseason unique Through a combination of real-time coverage, original content, strategic partnerships, and promotional campaigns, Bowl Season connected with fans yearround while extending the reach of bowl organizations, student-athletes, sponsors, and key initiatives across the country .

Across 2025, Bowl Season's social media platforms generated more than 104 million video views, 23.5 million impressions and reach, 2.6 million engagements, and nearly 22,300 new followers

The results reflect continued growth in audience engagement and the increasing demand for postseason college football content across digital platforms

The social media calendar was anchored by three key engagement periods that helped drive awareness and fan interaction throughout the postseason journey

SOCIAL MEDIA GROWTH

BOWL BOUND

The annual Bowl Bound campaign marked the beginning of the postseason cycle as teams secured bowl eligibility and fan excitement began to build From October 4 through December 6, Bowl Season content generated more than 31.8 million video views, 2.6 million impressions and reach, 603,000 engagements, and nearly 2,750 new followers

SELECTION SUNDAY

As bowl matchups were announced and fan bases learned their postseason destinations, Selection Sunday delivered one of the strongest single-day performances of the year Bowl Season content generated more than 13.4 million video views, 2.1 million impressions and reach, 308,000 engagements, and nearly 1,300 new followers in a single day

BOWL SEASON

Fan engagement reached its highest levels once games began From December 13, 2025 through January 31, 2026, Bowl Season social channels generated more than 47.9 million video views, 23.3 million impressions and reach, and 1.2 million engagements while providing comprehensive coverage of the college football postseason This period accounted for the largest share of annual audience activity and reinforced social media's role as a primary platform for connecting fans with the excitement, traditions, and experiences that define Bowl Season

As Bowl Season continues to expand its digital footprint, social media remains a vital platform for celebrating the sport, promoting bowl games, and engaging college football fans throughout the year

Connecting Fans to the Postseason Experience

Bowl Season continued to expand its fan engagement strategy during the 2025–26 postseason through interactive digital experiences designed to connect fans more directly to college football’s most exciting time of year

PICK ‘EM GAME

In partnership with Genius Sports, the Coca-Cola Bowl Season Pick’em Game returned for its second season as a free-to-play platform allowing fans nationwide to predict the outcomes of every postseason matchup across Bowl Season and the College Football Playoff The platform once again served as a key digital touchpoint for fans throughout the postseason, driving participation, repeat engagement, and increased visibility for the Bowl Season brand

During the 2025–26 postseason, the Pick’em Game generated more than 227,000 total page views and achieved an impressive 99% pick conversion rate , reflecting strong participation and sustained engagement from fans throughout the postseason calendar . Additionally, 25% of participants returned from the inaugural year of the program — an encouraging sign of continued audience retention and growing awareness around Bowl Season’s digital engagement offerings

TEAM CHALLENGE

Integrated within the Pick’em platform, the Coca-Cola Bowl Season Team Challenge continued to evolve as a signature engagement initiative recognizing schools that demonstrate excellence both on and off the field The program celebrates performance across three key areas:

Fan participation remained especially strong among some of college football’s most passionate and recognizable fan bases, including Texas, South Carolina, Ohio State, Alabama, Nebraska, and Michigan , underscoring the national reach of the platform and the enthusiasm surrounding postseason play

• On-field postseason performance

• Fan participation and digital engagement

• Community impact throughout bowl week

The Texas Longhorns were named the 2025–26 Coca-Cola Bowl Season Team Challenge Champion following a standout postseason that included a victory over Michigan in the 80th Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, strong fan participation in the Pick’em Game, and meaningful community engagement by participating in the “Day for Kids” event at Fun Spot America in Orlando

BUILDING STRONGER CONNECTIONS

The continued growth of the Pick’em Game and Team Challenge reflects Bowl Season’s broader commitment to creating innovative fan experiences that extend beyond the games themselves By combining competition, participation, and community impact, these initiatives strengthen connections between fans, schools, bowl organizations, and partners while creating measurable value across the college football postseason ecosystem

Celebrating the Road to the College Football Postseason

Now in its fifth year, the Bowl Bound Program continued to serve as one of Bowl Season’s most visible and recognizable celebrations of postseason qualification across college football

Created to recognize teams upon earning bowl eligibility, the program provides officially licensed “Bowl Bound” apparel to student-athletes, coaches, staff, and fans — marking the achievement of reaching the postseason while building anticipation for the weeks ahead Distributed following a team’s sixth win, the shirts have become an immediate symbol of accomplishment and a meaningful milestone within the college football season

Developed in partnership with MV Sport, the Bowl Bound program combines each institution’s unique identity with the broader Bowl Season brand, creating commemorative apparel that celebrates team success while reinforcing the shared experience of postseason participation across the sport

Over the past five years, Bowl Bound has grown beyond a product initiative into a recognizable part of the college football postseason tradition . For student-athletes and programs, the phrase “Bowl Bound” represents the culmination of a season’s

work For fans, it signals excitement, celebration, and the anticipation of postseason play

The program also continues to strengthen Bowl Season’s connection to campus communities nationwide by creating a unified visual representation of bowl eligibility across participating schools As more teams and fan bases embrace the platform each season, Bowl Bound has become an increasingly familiar part of the postseason vernacular — connecting institutions, athletes, and fans through a shared celebration of earning a place in Bowl Season

Bowl Season also continued its strategic collaboration with Go Bowling, further aligning the Bowl Bound platform with one of college football’s longstanding postseason partners while helping amplify awareness around bowl season traditions and fan engagement nationwide .

Through continued collaboration with apparel, licensing, and promotional partners, the Bowl Bound Program remains an effective brand engagement initiative — celebrating achievement, extending Bowl Season visibility, and reinforcing the excitement that surrounds college football’s postseason each year

BOWL BOUND GRID

AWARDS

Celebrating Excellence Across the Postseason

The 2025–26 Bowl Season Awards Ceremony, held during the 2026 Coca-Cola Bowl Season Annual Meeting in San Antonio, celebrated the people and organizations whose leadership, innovation, and commitment continue to shape the college football postseason experience

Each year, the Bowl Season Awards recognize outstanding achievement across the bowl system — from executive leadership and decades of service to excellence in fan engagement, student-athlete experience, event execution, and community impact . The awards reflect Bowl Season’s continued commitment to honoring the individuals and organizations that elevate the postseason through creativity, collaboration, and long-term stewardship of the bowl tradition

SERVICE & LEADERSHIP RECOGNITION

Bowl Season recognized several executive directors for milestone years of service and leadership within the postseason community

YEARS OF SERVICE HONOREES

• Greg McGarity – TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (5 Years)

• Eric Poms – Capital One Orange Bowl (20 Years)

• Mark Meadows – JLab Birmingham Bowl (20 Years)

• Missy Setters – Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl (20 Years)

• Jeff Siembieda – Isleta New Mexico Bowl (20 Years)

• Bernie Olivas – Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl (25 Years)

These honorees were recognized for their lasting contributions to their respective bowl organizations and for the leadership they continue to provide across the Bowl Season membership

WRIGHT WATERS LEGACY AWARD & CHAMPIONS AWARD

The Wright Waters Legacy Award was presented to retiring executives Rick Baker of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Gary Stokan of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl in recognition of their transformational leadership, distinguished careers, and lasting impact on Bowl Season and college football's postseason landscape

Former Mountain West Conference Commissioner Craig Thompson received the Bowl Season Champions Award, honoring decades of leadership and service to intercollegiate athletics and the broader college football community

BOWL SEASON LEADERSHIP

HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026

The 2026 Bowl Season Leadership Hall of Fame class honored three individuals whose contributions helped shape and strengthen the bowl system for generations:

• Carol Monroe – Florida Citrus Sports

• Johnny Williams (posthumously) – IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl / Camellia Bowl

• Mark Womack (posthumously) – Southeastern Conference

Each was recognized for extraordinary leadership and a lasting impact on Bowl Season, college football, and the communities they served

2025–26 BOWL SEASON “BESTIES” AWARDS

The annual Bowl Season Besties Awards recognized bowl organizations that demonstrated exceptional creativity, execution, and impact throughout the postseason

The annual awards program remains an important celebration of the people, partnerships, and organizations that make Bowl Season possible From longtime leadership and legacy contributions to innovative programming and fan engagement, the Bowl Season Awards continue to recognize excellence across every level of the college football postseason experience

Making a Difference Beyond Game Day

For more than a century, bowl games have served as more than postseason sporting events . They are community institutions that create meaningful impact throughout the year by supporting charitable causes, driving economic activity, promoting their host cities, and investing in the future of college football

Across the country, bowl organizations remain deeply committed to the communities they represent Through youth initiatives, educational programs, facility improvements, charitable donations, volunteer efforts, and countless community engagement activities, bowl games work yearround to create lasting benefits that extend well beyond the final whistle

Bowl games also generate significant economic impact for their host communities A recent study estimated that bowl games collectively contribute approximately $1.4 billion annually in economic activity nationwide By attracting teams, bands, families, alumni, andw fans from across the country, bowl games drive spending in local hotels, restaurants, attractions, and small businesses during a time of year when many destinations would otherwise experience lower tourism activity

Beyond their economic contributions, bowl games provide communities with a national platform

to showcase what makes them unique . Millions of television viewers are introduced to host cities through game broadcasts, destination features, community storytelling, and local traditions For many communities, bowl games represent one of the most effective annual promotional opportunities available, creating awareness and exposure that would be difficult to replicate through traditional marketing efforts

Bowl games also continue to serve as one of the sport's most powerful promotional vehicles . By creating memorable experiences for student-athletes and fans while delivering compelling postseason competition, bowl games help cultivate the next generation of college football supporters and

strengthen the connection between communities and the sport itself

One important example of Bowl Season's community impact is its partnership with the College Football Playoff Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers. Through educator recognition programs, classroom initiatives, and the Touchdown for Teachers program, bowl organizations help support teachers and schools in communities across the country . Since its inception, the CFP Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers have invested more than $104 million in education, supporting approximately 756,000 teachers, reaching 14 million students, and benefiting nearly 96,000 schools nationwide

Together, these efforts reflect the broader mission of Bowl Season and its member games: leveraging the platform of college football to create positive impact, strengthen communities, and leave a lasting legacy far beyond game day

ANNUAL MEETING

Bringing Bowl Season Together

The 2026 Coca-Cola Bowl Season Annual Meeting brought together bowl executives, conference representatives, corporate partners, and industry leaders in San Antonio, Texas, for four days of collaboration, professional development, and strategic planning

As Bowl Season's premier annual gathering, the event provided opportunities to share ideas, strengthen relationships, and prepare for the upcoming season through educational sessions, industry discussions, networking events, and partner activations Attendees explored topics ranging from sponsorship development and marketing to operations, ticket sales, public relations, and fan engagement .

The meeting featured an expanded partner trade show, special events throughout San Antonio, and a keynote conversation with College Football Hall of Fame coach Mack Brown The week concluded with the Bowl Season Awards Ceremony, recognizing excellence in leadership, innovation, community impact, and the student-athlete experience

Supported by more than a dozen presenting partners, the Annual Meeting continues to serve as an important forum for collaboration and the continued advancement of college football's postseason

2025-26 BOWL GAME CHAMPIONS

SCHEDUL