Gasparilla Bowl buzz builds in Tampa, boosts tourism

Fans get ready for Gasparilla Bowl

Bowl season is back in full swing, as fans from NC State and Memphis descended on downtown Tampa before Friday’s Gasparilla Bowl. FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - Bowl season is back in full swing, as fans from NC State and Memphis descended on downtown Tampa before Friday’s Gasparilla Bowl.

What they're saying:

After years of change throughout college football’s landscape, some say bowl season is dead. However, the City of Tampa is putting that idea to the test — hosting not one, but two bowl games this month.

Martha Gordon and her husband, Dan, made the 10-hour drive from Oxford, North Carolina, to support the Wolfpack.

"We love Tampa," Gordon said. "We came a few days early because we wanted to do the touristy things."

Walter Hoehn is a Memphis fan who’s been enjoying the warm weather in Tampa.

"I love the weather down here," he said. "It’s so much warmer than Memphis."

What we know:

On Thursday night, hundreds gathered at the Sail Pavilion in downtown Tampa, where both school’s bands and mascots performed. Coaches and players also addressed the crowd on hand.

Dan Gordon believes bowl games still offer something special for fans.

"It’s an extra game," Gordon said. "It’s fun to cheer for my team one more time."

Hoehn says bowl games remain meaningful for teams that fall short of the College Football Playoff.

"For teams that have a good season and don’t make the playoffs, it’s still important to them," he said. "Plus, this is a great location and a great bowl."

Dig deeper:

College football’s landscape has dramatically changed in recent years with coaching turnover, star players opting out and others transferring to new teams. Sparking questions about whether bowl games still matter.

Visit Tampa Bay CEO Santiago Corrada says the impact goes well beyond the field.

"There’s value to the bowls," he said. "There’s value to the communities that host the bowls and the people who live in those destinations."

Big picture view:

Gasparilla Bowl Executive Director Scott Glaser designed this week as a celebration for everyone involved. He said the atmosphere reflects what the bowl represents.

"Everybody’s happy, we got good music, we got good weather, and the Gasparilla Bowl is going to be great," Glaser concluded.

What's next:

NC State and Memphis will face-off on Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa will also host the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year’s Eve, when Vanderbilt takes on Iowa at noon at Raymond James Stadium.