Bowl to continue under Famous Idaho Potato name

ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, has agreed in principle to acquire the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl from the Humanitarian Bowl, Inc., pending the approval of a long-form agreement. The 17^th annual game will be played on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013 at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The nation’s longest running outdoor cold weather bowl will feature eligible teams from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) versus the Mountain West Conference (MWC) and will continue to be played at Bronco Stadium on the campus of Boise State University.

“This game has a long-standing history in the bowl landscape and we are privileged to have the opportunity to build upon the foundation created by the Executive Board and the staff,” said Pete Derzis, Senior Vice President & GM, ESPN Regional Television. “We are proud of the work that is being done in Boise and we look forward to showcasing the community and the state to the participating teams and their fans.”

The acquisition marks the eighth bowl game to be owned and operated by the network.

Kevin McDonald, in his seventh year with the bowl, will continue as Executive Director of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. ERT will also retain all staff from the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

“In a challenging time of collegiate football, this acquisition secures a bright future for the bowl,” said McDonald. “We are excited about the longevity of the game and what that means for the city of Boise, the bowl and its fans.”

In 2012, Utah State University capitalized on a 28-point fourth quarter to top the University of Toledo 41-15. The bowl averaged 2.8 million viewers on ESPN, while also hosting a crowd of 29,243 at Bronco Stadium

The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl recognizes the positive impact teams, coaches and student-athletes have in their communities and their leadership roles in promoting humanitarian efforts. For more information, visitwww.famousidahopotatobowl.com.

ESPN Regional Television
ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, owns and operates collegiate sporting events worldwide, including two Labor Day Kickoff college football games; seven college bowl games and eight college basketball events. These account for approximately 200 hours of programming, reach almost 64 million viewers and attract nearly half a million attendees each year. The owned and operated events build relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as provide unique experiences for teams and fans. In addition to event ownership, ERT manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.
Collegiate Football
BBVA Compass Bowl (Birmingham, Ala.); Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. Petersburg; Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth); Gildan New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque); Las Vegas Bowl; MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (Orlando, Fla.); Texas Bowl (Houston); AdvoCare Texas Kickoff (Houston); Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu) and The Home Depot College Football Awards
Collegiate Basketball
Armed Forces Classic (Camp Humphreys, South Korea); Charleston Classic (S.C.); Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Honolulu); Jimmy V Men’s & Women’s Basketball Classics presented by Corona Extra (Madison Square Garden & Durham, N.C.); Old Spice Classic (Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla.); Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan, PR); State Farm Champions Classic (United Center, Chicago) and Wooden Legacy (Orange County, Calif.).

For more information, visit espnplus.com.

About the Bowl
The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, formerly the Humanitarian Bowl is the nation’s longest-running outdoor cold-weather bowl, played since 1997.  The bowl recognizes the positive impact teams, coaches and student-athletes have in their communities and their leadership roles in promoting humanitarian efforts.

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