GameAbove Sports Bowl in Detroit Canceled After 29 Years

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The college football bowl game played annually in Detroit, which was known by several different names over its 29-year history, has been canceled. The game, which featured a Mid-American Conference (MAC) team against a power conference opponent, struggled with low attendance in recent years and is the third bowl game to be scrapped this offseason amid the expansion of the College Football Playoff.

Why it matters

The cancellation of the GameAbove Sports Bowl, formerly known as the Motor City Bowl, Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, and Quick Lane Bowl, is part of a broader trend of declining interest and viability for smaller, lesser-known bowl games as the College Football Playoff continues to grow in prominence. This reflects the challenges facing the college football postseason as the sport grapples with how to balance the top-tier playoff with the proliferation of lower-tier bowl games.

The details

The GameAbove Sports Bowl, which was played in a dome in Detroit, first launched in 1997 as the Motor City Bowl. It went through several name changes over the years before being known as the GameAbove Sports Bowl in its final seasons. The game typically featured a MAC team against a power conference opponent, although the matchup sometimes varied due to bowl tie-ins. The 2024 game, which saw Toledo defeat Pittsburgh in six overtimes, was perhaps the biggest moment in the bowl's history, but it struggled with low attendance in recent years.

• The GameAbove Sports Bowl was played annually from 1997 to 2025.
• The game was canceled after the 2025 season, ending its 29-year run.

What’s next

With the cancellation of the GameAbove Sports Bowl, the number of bowl games in college football will continue to decline as the sport grapples with the growth of the College Football Playoff.