Story by Alan Snel Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
Just the facts: Wisconsin 20 Arizona State 13
Attendance: 32,515
Newsworthy: First Las Vegas Bowl in Allegiant Stadium after decades at Sam Boyd Stadium
Business: SRS Distribution in first year of five-year title sponsorship deal
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John Saccenti was on “pins and needles” all week because of COVID-19 wiping out five college football bowl games, the executive director of the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl was finally at easy at 4 PM today as he strolled off the Allegiant Stadium field into a tunnel.
Saccenti said the first Las Vegas Bowl in Allegiant Stadium after decades of being staged at Sam Boyd Stadium on the outskirts of Las Vegas is expected to draw attendance in the 40,000 range. Attendance was announced at 32,515. Saccenti said Allegiant Stadium holds 58,000 for the Las Vegas Bowl. The bowl game at Sam Boyd Stadium was able to max out at about 40,000.
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SRS Distribution, a building supply distribution company out of Texas, has the naming rights deal with the Las Vegas Bowl.
Saccenti said SRS Distribution is using the bowl game as a platform to entertain its biggest clients, reward employees and generate new business.
LVSportsBiz.com met SRS Distribution CEO/President Dan Tinker for an interview at the SRS pregame tent before the game today. Here’s our interview, which included Tinker saying the company will renew the five-year naming right deal when it expires:
It’s Arizona State and its high-profile coach, Herm Edwards, and Wisconsin and its legion of fans who enjoy traveling around the country for bowl games when the cold weather settles into Madison, Wisconsin.
The bowl game matches the Pac-12 and Big Ten conferences, with a rotating cycle that also includes the Southeastern Conference participating every other year with the Big Ten against a Pac-12 school. Next year in 2022, it’s the SEC’s turn to have a conference team matched up against a Pac-12 college. In prior years, the Las Vegas Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium brought together the Mountain West Conference champ against a Pac-12 representative.
Some pregame photos:
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Both Arizona State and Wisconsin came in with matching 8-4 records, but the Badgers were the superior football team after one quarter. They led Arizona State, 14-3, after one quarter while moving the football through the air and on the ground for their first two touchdowns.
Wisconsin added to their lead with two field goals in the second quarter. Arizona State added a field goal. The Badgers had a comfortable 14-point lead at the half, leading 20-6 and outgaining Arizona State in yards by a more than two-to-one margin.
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Arizona State made its move early in the second half. The Sun Devils scored to cut the Wisconsin lead to 20-13 and the game was now a single-score match.
That’s how the game ended — Wisconsin 20 Arizona State 13. The Badgers’ winning edge of seven points was of particular interest to sports gamblers as Wisconsin went from a six-point favorite to one of eight points. Wisconsin ran out the clock only a few yards from the end zone. There were likely sports bettors who had a strong opinion about the ending.