What’s The Story Behind Late-Night Talk Show Host Jimmy Kimmel & Bowl Game Named After Him?

The playoff college football game is the first one to be named after an Oscars host, Jimmy Kimmel. Find out what transpired and what to anticipate at SoFi Stadium on Saturday.

It’s true that Jimmy Kimmel, a late-night television host, owns the naming rights to a bowl game. This particular pre-Christmas bowl is one of the more well-known ones.

Fresno State and Washington State will face battle in this year’s Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, which promises to be a fun showdown of two potent offences.

What you need to know about the connection between Jimmy Kimmel and college football is provided below.

The Story Behind Late-Night Talk Show Host Jimmy Kimmel & Bowl Game Named After Him?

Saturday’s bowl game between the Washington State Cougars and Fresno State Bulldogs at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, will revive a beloved college football tradition. *sigh* Will Jimmy Kimmel host it once more?

That’s right, the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, now in its second year, will begin on Saturday, December 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET, with the late-night talk show host serving as the game’s host on ABC, his home network. Kimmel acquired the naming rights contract as part of a collaboration with the game’s main sponsor, investment firm Stifel, in 2021. One year ago, Utah State defeated Oregon State in the first game with a score of 24-13.

The host’s pre-game theatrics seem to be a little less outrageous than they were the year before, but the bowl has nonetheless thrown out the red carpet for both teams and provided them with a tonne of wonderful benefits.

Why is there a Jimmy Kimmel bowl?

The LA Bowl and Kimmel announced their naming rights agreement in July 2021. The actual duration of the “multi-year relationship” between Kimmel and SoFi Stadium for the rights is unknown.

Jimmy Kimmel Live!, his late-night programme, is where Kimmel made the announcement. The LA Bowl, according to him, will “honour the tradition of collegiate football in Los Angeles,” and it is the first bowl to be named after a live person, “as far as I know, I didn’t check,” he said.

A bowl that already had name rights was given to Kimmel, although the game wasn’t played until 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the LA Bowl, which was scheduled to make its debut in 2020.

In order to compete in the LA Bowl in 2019, the Mountain West and Pac-12 leagues negotiated tie-in agreements. In the first Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, the Mountain West won thanks to Utah State’s 24-13 victory over Oregon State on December 18, 2021.

Where is the Kimmel LA Bowl played?

As you might expect, the JK LA Bowl is played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

SoFi Stadium is home to the NFL’s Rams and Chargers, and the venue hosted Super Bowl 56 in February 2022. The stadium opened in 2020.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is taped about 10 miles north of SoFi Stadium in Hollywood.

 

FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE-

Di Maria Under Immense Pressure: Was Argentina Penalty Kick The Correct Decision?