The landscape of college football bowl season is shifting, and the CW Network is positioning itself to grab a bigger slice of the action. Two storied bowl games—the Holiday Bowl and the newly revived Poinsettia Bowl—could soon find a new home on the CW, according to a report from Sports Business Journal.
For years, ESPN and Fox have dominated bowl season coverage, but as media rights become more fragmented, networks like the CW are stepping up. The CW already broadcast the Arizona Bowl last season, and its success has fueled ambitions to add more postseason matchups. “Based on the success of the bowl season last year and the Arizona Bowl, we’re taking a look to add to those to potentially add to our college landscape,” a network source told SBJ.
Tag Garson of Excelsior Sports and Entertainment, who is helping Sports San Diego with media rights for both bowls, confirmed that the CW is in the mix. “We have not had one group say they were not willing to take the call,” Garson said. “When Fox passed on our final offer, it allowed us to go into the marketplace, and we have been talking to everyone. … We’re not leaving any stone unturned. … We’ve only been in the marketplace for a couple of weeks, so this is very new.”
The Holiday Bowl, traditionally played in San Diego, has been a staple of the postseason since 1978. The Poinsettia Bowl, which last ran from 2005 to 2016, is being revived for the 2025 season. Both games could bring valuable inventory to the CW, which is looking to expand its sports portfolio beyond the Arizona Bowl and LIV Golf.
This potential move comes amid broader changes in college football, including skyrocketing roster costs and ongoing debates about the College Football Playoff format. The CW's entry into bowl season could also provide an alternative for fans frustrated with the current distribution of games across multiple platforms.
The CW Network has made no secret of its desire to grow its sports offerings. With the Holiday Bowl and Poinsettia Bowl potentially on the table, the network could become a more significant player in the college football postseason. For now, negotiations are in early stages, but the buzz is building.
As the CW explores these opportunities, it joins a trend of non-traditional broadcasters entering the sports space. The question remains whether these moves will lead to better access for fans or further fragmentation. Either way, the bowl season landscape is evolving, and the CW is ready to make its mark.
