re: Bowl game not meaningless

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They didn't have sponsored names, but it's cute that you didn't know that those bowl games were created for advertising campaigns for the tourism board and chamber of commerce of the cities.

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I did in fact know that, but what you're saying isn't entirely true. The Tournament of Roses (and Rose Parade) long preceded the Rose Bowl football game by 12 years (1890-1902).

Local leaders did form most of the other early bowls in warmer climate cities to help with winter tourism, following the Rose Bowl's lead.

But founding and holding a game for tourism purposes-- back in the days before television -- is NOT the same as them being "just giant advertisement windows" as they have become in the last twenty- thirty years, both for sponsor names and for TV advertising revenue opportunities for ABC-ESPN (who broadcast the overwhelming majority of bowl games-- all but FIVE of all bowl games).