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What does the future of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl look like?

jimmy watson, shreveport times
·3 min read

When the 47th version of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl kicks off Saturday night in Independence Stadium, all eyes will be on one of the most tantalizing matchups the elderly bowl has seen in recent years.

Texas Tech and California bring the potential for more national eyes on Louisiana’s only postseason game outside New Orleans. Short term, the I-Bowl is on solid footing financially with at least two more years sponsorship by Radiance Technologies, which works extensively with the U.S. military. There’s also a tie-in with the Big 12 through 2025.

But with the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams next season, there are expected to be far-reaching effects on bowls from top to bottom.

“It will affect every bowl, but there is still a lot to be determined,” I-Bowl Executive Director Missy Setters told the USA TODAY Network. “We will have to see how it all plays out. Those four games at home sites will definitely be a factor.”

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Certainly, no one has everything figured out, but I-Bowl chairman Bryan Roppolo is excited about the short-term possibilities while keeping an eye locked on the future.

“It’s really hard to say with the forever changing landscape of college football and with the transfer portal, the playoffs going to 12,” Roppolo said. “There’s definitely going to be challenges in the future. But our bowl is definitely in a strong position.”

The 11th-oldest bowl in the country has certainly seen its good and bad times, primarily due to sponsorship connections. There have been some good ones (Poulan Weed Eater, Sanford) and some bad ones (Duck Commander). The bowl also went through the 2008 campaign without a sponsor.

Radiance Technologies and its CEO, Bill Bailey, have been among the best. And his consistency with his brand since signing on in 2021 has paid off for this year's matchup, according to Roppolo.

“Both schools have been amazing to work with and both schools have a lot of excitement around the Power Five matchup as well as the bowl week activities,” Roppolo said. “A lot of hard work has gone in the previous years in building relationships to be able to bring two P5s back to the independence bowl.”

The 2024 I-Bowl could pit Army (if bowl eligible) against a member of the Pac-12, which could have only two teams next fall, and the 2025 game will see the Big 12 against Conference USA.

Some of the significant past I-Bowl contests include LSU vs. Notre Dame in 1997, which attracted a record 50,459 fans as the Tigers won 27-9. In 1999, Ole Miss topped Oklahoma 27-25, but the Sooners won the national title the following season. The most celebrated I-Bowl came in 2000 when a blizzard hit Shreveport during pregame warmups between Mississippi State and Texas A&M, with MSU winning the “Snow Bowl” 43-41 in overtime.

There’s also been some forgettable contests and there have been some teams playing in Shreveport that obviously wanted to be somewhere else. Roppolo prefers staying on the positive side of the ledger.

“This is definitely going to be a great matchup -- definitely one of the best we’ve had in recent years,” he said. “There seems to be a lot of excitement within the city and ticket sales definitely show. I believe that you’re going to be surprised at the turnout of fans in the stands this year with both teams traveling very well as well as local fans. I do believe the date of our game this year is also a huge plus.”

California quarterback Fernando Mendoza gearing up to throw a pass at a practice before the 47th annual Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. on Dec. 13, 2023
California quarterback Fernando Mendoza gearing up to throw a pass at a practice before the 47th annual Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. on Dec. 13, 2023

It doesn’t hurt that the I-Bowl has been broadcast on an ESPN network for 30-plus years and that it has had tie-ins with the SEC, ACC, Pac-12, Big 12 and C-USA.

“With the relationships we have built with conferences, it has set up for success,” Roppolo said.

Jimmy Watson covers Shreveport-Bossier area sports. Email him at jwatson@shreveporttimes.com and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: How solid is the future of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl?