‘We can’t give it up’: Despite pandemic pinch, Sun Bowl still set for December
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The Covid-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to sporting events worldwide.
No league, sport or team has been immune to the impacts of the virus.
However, Bernie Olivas, the director of the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl is an optimist.
"We can't give it up. We cannot give it up," Olivas said.
For more than 80 years, El Pasoans have flocked to the Sun Bowl -- sometimes during snowstorms and other times under beautiful sunny skies.
A pandemic is an obstacle the bowl's organizers have never faced.
"There might be a big break in a Covid relapse and they might say 'you know what, we're going to move it to the Spring,'" Olivas said. "From day to day, it can change. From hour to hour. But, as of right now, we're playing on December 31st."
The Sun Bowl Association has four revenue sources. It receives money from presenting sponsor Kellogg's, and CBS, the network which broadcasts the game to a national audience. Ticket sales make up another piece of the pie, and then there's the money that the association receives from the City of El Paso.
"If you go rent a car, there’s a fee that you pay. Those fees and that revenue is dedicated solely for an athletic event," said Robert Cortinas, El Paso's Chief Financial Officer. "The athletic event which has been dedicated and specified is the Sun Bowl game."
ABC-7 filed a public records request to see how much money the City of El Paso has paid the Sun Bowl Association over the past couple of years.
City records show close to $15 Million since 2017.
- 2017: $3.55 Million
- 2018: $3.55 Million
- 2019: $4 Million
- 2020: $3.8 Million
Given the fact that the City is facing a $60 Million impact from the pandemic, ABC-7 wanted to know why it had already made a payment to the association this year. Cortinas explained it's because the city pays out the money to the Sun Bowl in the first quarter from funds collected from the previous fiscal year's rental car tax.
So, it hasn't felt the pandemic pinch yet, but it's coming early next year.
With fewer people traveling because of the virus, the city is also collecting fewer funds from rental car taxes.
"Last year we were at approximately $3.3 million collected from the motor vehicle rental tax," Cortinas said. "This year, we're at $2.7 million. It's about a $600,000 impact we've seen so far."
The other unknown -- how many fans, if any, will be allowed to attend the game if it's held this December. Currently, UTEP is hosting game at 18 percent occupancy, or roughly 8,600 fans.
Olivas said a dip in ticket revenue and rental car taxes will impact the association financially as it moves forward. But, he also foresees them cutting down on costs for the upcoming Sun Bowl.
"Our ticket sales, depending on how many people we can put in the stands will be affected obviously. At the same time, I don't know how long the teams will be here this year. Normally they're here for five days, that might cut down to two or three or one -- which would obviously lower our expenses as well."
One thing that is certain is that a Pac-12 school will not be involved in this year's game. The conference has postponed all of its fall sports to the spring. The ACC is still playing its season though. Olivas said it means for the first time in a decade they will get a school from another conference.
The college football season could be derailed if there are major outbreaks across the country. Olivas knows that. He said he's not going to let unknowns stop him from keeping a Borderland tradition alive.
"December 31st at high noon. Let's kick it off," he said.
That's a kickoff that generates a lot of money for the region. A recent economic impact study done by the Sun Bowl Association found the game brings in close to $25 million each year.
