Conference USA Signs on to Participate in Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

HONOLULU – ESPN Regional Television, Inc., a subsidiary of ESPN, announced today that the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl and Conference USA have signed a contract for Conference USA to participate in the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl in 2009.

This year’s game will feature a team from the Western Athletic Conference against a team from C-USA. Kickoff is slated for Thursday, Dec. 24, at 3 p.m. (8 p.m. ET). The University of Hawai‘i will represent the WAC if the Warriors are bowl eligible.

“The Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl, since its inception, has enjoyed a great partnership with Conference USA,” said Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl Executive Director David Matlin. “Four of the five games between the WAC and C-USA were decided by six points or less, and two of those matchups were overtime thrillers.”

The Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl was slated for the Pac-10’s seventh selection this year, but because the Pac-10 had only five bowl eligible teams in 2008, all parties mutually agreed to void the Pac-10 Conference selection for 2009. This opening created an opportunity for Conference USA to send their conference championship game runner-up or a preferred selection team, as mutually agreed upon by C-USA and ERT, to participate in Hawai‘i.

“We have had a great relationship and some exciting bowl games with Conference USA teams. The possibility of not having an eligible Pac-10 team was very real,” said University of Hawai‘i Athletics Director Jim Donovan. “I think in the long run it is better for us to be matched up against a high-placed C-USA team than an at-large team.”

“We look forward to the excitement that Conference USA will bring to the already successful Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl,” said Pete Derzis, Senior Vice President & General Manager, ERT. “Conference USA was one of the original partners of this game, and we’re pleased to have them return in 2009.”

Conference USA’s most recent appearance in the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl was in 2007, when East Carolina pulled out a 41-38 win over the WAC’s Boise State.

“We are thrilled to be returning to the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl and to have the fantastic opportunity for one of our football programs,” said Conference USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky. “The Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl, as well as all the bowls managed by ESPN Regional Television, are among the best experiences for student-athletes, coaches and fans. We look forward to continuing this relationship.”

In 2008, six teams from C-USA played in bowl games: Tulsa (11-3), GMAC Bowl; Rice (10-3), Texas Bowl; East Carolina (9-5), Liberty Bowl; Houston (8-5), Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl; Southern Miss (7-6), New Orleans Bowl; and Memphis (6-7), St. Petersburg Bowl. Other C-USA teams include: Marshall, SMU, Tulane, UAB, UCF, UTEP.

The Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl, owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television, is played at Aloha Stadium (50,000). The inaugural game was played in 2002, when Tulane defeated Hawai‘i, 36-28. Hawai’i won the next two bowl games, a 54-48 triple overtime victory in 2003, and a 59-40 win over UAB in 2004. WAC member Nevada defeated Central Florida, 49-48, in overtime in 2005

The sponsor of Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl is Sheraton Hotels and Resorts Hawai‘i.