The Holiday Bowl is an annual college football bowl game held in San Diego, California . The bowl was founded in 1978. It is held at Snapdragon Stadium . The bowl has tie-ins with the Big-12 Conference and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). It was played at San Diego Stadium from its inception in 1978 to 2019 and at Petco Park from 2021 to 2023.
113-700: Historically, the Holiday Bowl had a long-standing tie-in with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). During this period, the bowl hosted the game that clinched the national championship for the BYU Cougars in 1984, one of only two times a non- New Year's Six bowl game has done this. The bowl also previously had tie-ins with the Pac-12 Conference and the Big Ten Conference . The Holiday Bowl
226-669: A Mack Rides Family Launch Coaster , Electric Eel, a Premier Rides Sky Rocket II , Journey to Atlantis , a Mack Rides Water Coaster , Emperor, a Bolliger & Mabillard dive coaster, and Arctic Rescue , an Intamin Family Launch Straddle Coaster . Electric Ocean is the park's nightly summer event featuring pop and electronic style music with lights and seasonal shows, Sea Lions Tonite (a nighttime Sea Lion show featuring spoofs of other SeaWorld shows and attractions), Atlantis Ignites (a tesla coil and projection show), and Cirque Electrique (a Cirque du Soleil-style show on
339-640: A "football only" member) and Utah State operated as an independent D-IA program. At the same time, Louisiana Tech (LA Tech) ended its independent Div. I-A status and also accepted an invitation to join the WAC with Boise State. In 2005, Conference USA sought new members to replenish its ranks after losing members to the Big East , which had lost members to the ACC . Four WAC schools, former SWC schools Rice and SMU , as well as Tulsa and UTEP , joined Conference USA. In response,
452-580: A $ 65 million settlement with investors who alleged that the company had deceived them about the documentary's effect on park attendance. SeaWorld operates its conservation program in cooperation with the Department of the Interior , National Marine Fisheries Service and state agencies; its rescue and rehabilitation program was developed to comply with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and
565-480: A San Diego–based alternative lender; San Diego County Credit Union, which formerly sponsored San Diego's other bowl game, the now-defunct Poinsettia Bowl ; and DirecTV . For the first seven games, BYU represented the WAC as its champion. In the inaugural 1978 game , the Navy Midshipmen came in with an 8–3 record and a Commander-in-Chief's Trophy and then capped their season with a 23–16 comeback victory over
678-619: A buyer for the two other parks, HBJ refused to sell the parks individually. Despite a long negotiation, Anheuser-Busch bought all six parks in 1989: SeaWorld in San Diego, Aurora, Orlando and San Antonio as well as Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven and Boardwalk and Baseball in Haines City. Soon after the sale was final, Busch sold Cypress Gardens to the park's management and closed Boardwalk and Baseball. Anheuser-Busch put millions of dollars back into
791-544: A coaster oriented to kids located in the Sesame Street themed area of the park, is built by Zierer . SeaWorld Orlando's recent coaster is Ice Breaker , which opened in 2022, containing the steepest drop of all main SeaWorld Orlando coasters, and being built by Premier Rides . The Orlando park is also home to the original Journey to Atlantis , a intricately themed water coaster by Mack Rides . SeaWorld's Electric Ocean
904-426: A day and critics say the animals are too big and intelligent to be suitable for captivity. In 2016 SeaWorld announced that they no longer had plans to complete the expansion project. PETA , which opposes whales being kept in captivity, has proposed the theme park operator base its whales in seaside sanctuaries. The company also pledged $ 10 million in matching funds for killer whale research. The plans to increase
1017-551: A defensive MVP. Source: Updated through the December 2023 edition (44 games, 88 total appearances). Won (12): Arkansas , Baylor , Colorado , Hawaii , Indiana , Michigan State , Minnesota , Navy , Northwestern , Oklahoma , Penn State , Wisconsin Lost (7): Illinois , Louisville , North Carolina , San Diego State , SMU , UCLA , Utah As of 2023, every Pac-12 school except Stanford and Oregon State had appeared in
1130-487: A far-flung league, travel costs became a concern. The presidents of Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Utah, and Wyoming met in 1998 at Denver International Airport and agreed to split off to form a new league. The breakaway group invited old-line WAC schools New Mexico and San Diego State, and newcomer UNLV to join them in the new Mountain West Conference , which began competition in 1999. A USA Today article summed up
1243-452: A football team at a later date. While the WAC originally announced that all new members would join on July 1, 2022, commissioner Jeff Hurd later said that the arrival of the Texas Four "was expedited" to July 1, 2021. The conference officially confirmed this on January 21, 2021, adding that the relaunch of football was moved forward to fall 2021. The conference also confirmed media reports that
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#17328561872831356-417: A handoff to Eddie Stinnett. Stinnett then turned around and passed it back to Steve Young, who caught it and ran in for a touchdown, giving BYU a 21–17 win. Young achieved a rare feat in college football: one touchdown pass, one touchdown run, and one touchdown reception all in a single game. For his efforts, he was named offensive MVP. In the 1984 edition , BYU secured the national championship by defeating
1469-551: A killer whale that was brought to the new facility. The harsh winter climate permitted the park to be open only from mid-May until mid-September. The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida opened near the end of the second operating season of SeaWorld Ohio . The success of Disney in Orlando provided a location that was already popular with tourists. SeaWorld Orlando opened in 1973. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich , Inc. (HBJ) purchased
1582-560: A later date. On the same day, news broke that the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley , a non-football playing WAC member, had committed to create an FCS football program by 2024. The program will most likely compete as part of the newly-reinstated WAC football conference. The WAC ultimately partnered with the ASUN Conference to reestablish its football league, with the Texas Four being joined by three incoming ASUN members for at least
1695-489: A major expansion on July 1, 2021, with four schools joining. The conference reinstated football at that time, competing in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). One year later, on July 1, 2022, one FCS football school ( Lamar ) and one non-football school ( Chicago State ) left, and one FCS football school ( Southern Utah ) and one non-football school ( UT Arlington ) joined. The WAC again became
1808-774: A non-football conference in 2023, when the WAC and the Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) merged their FCS football leagues as the United Athletic Conference . These institutions are the existing full members of the Western Athletic Conference: Members departing for the West Coast Conference in 2025 (Seattle) and the Mountain West Conference in 2026 (Grand Canyon). (Millions) These nine schools field programs in
1921-422: A non-football playing member of the conference, had committed to create an FCS football program by 2024. In addition, UTRGV will also launch women's swimming and diving for the same year. The launch of football was later put off to 2025; it has since been confirmed that UTRGV football will become part of the new ASUN–WAC Football Conference (see below). The WAC's planned reestablishment of a football conference at
2034-574: A park in the Middle East, but did not specify a timeline or specific location. On December 13, 2016, SeaWorld announced that it would open its first overseas theme park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi , UAE in 2022. It would also be the first franchised SeaWorld park. SeaWorld had announced that in October 2022, the park was 90% completed and was almost open. Finally, on May 24, 2023, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi opened to
2147-762: A press conference held at the NRG Center in Houston, Texas. The new members announced included four Southland Conference members from Texas in Abilene Christian University , Lamar University , Sam Houston State University , and Stephen F. Austin State University , which would soon be dubbed the "Texas Four", plus Southern Utah University from the Big Sky Conference . The conference also announced that it would most likely add another member that fielded
2260-550: A revamped Pac-8 Conference that replaced the scandal-plagued PCC, the remaining six schools formed the WAC. The Border and Skyline conferences, having each lost three of their stronger members, dissolved at the end of the 1961–62 season. The charter members of the WAC were Arizona , Arizona State , BYU , New Mexico , Utah , and Wyoming . New Mexico State and Utah State applied for charter membership and were turned down; they would eventually become WAC members 43 years later. The conference proved to be an almost perfect fit for
2373-477: A roller coaster reaching a height of 150 feet, and Journey to Atlantis , a water roller coaster into the mythical land of Atlantis and Texas Stingray a wooden steel hybrid Coaster. In 2008, Busch Entertainment had previously announced plans to open a fourth SeaWorld park in Dubai , UAE , but those plans were abandoned amidst the international financial crisis. In May 2014, SeaWorld announced renewed plans to build
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#17328561872832486-553: A series of moves that shook the conference to its very core, beginning with Utah State and San Jose State accepting offers to join the MWC. Four similar announcements followed with UTSA and Louisiana Tech jumping to Conference USA , plus Texas State and UT Arlington heading to the Sun Belt Conference , all as of 2013–14. Boise State also canceled plans to rejoin the WAC, instead opting to place its non-football sports in
2599-472: A show in Shamu Stadium. The whale had been associated with the deaths of two people previously. In May 2012, administrative law judge Ken Welsch upheld two Occupational Safety and Health Administration citations after Dawn Brancheau 's death, including one directly related to her death, and fined the company a total of $ 12,000. Trainers were banned from making close contact with the whales. In April 2014
2712-587: A six-game schedule in 2023 before starting full round-robin conference play in 2024. Neither conference's announcement mentioned any plans to move to FBS. On April 17, 2023, the football league announced its permanent name of United Athletic Conference . In March 2024, however, UTRGV announced they also would be departing for the Southland for the 2024-25 academic year. Two months later, in May 2024, both Grand Canyon and Seattle announced they had accepted invitations to join
2825-437: A wall. Kandu V broke her jaw, which severed an artery, and then bled to death. In November 2006, a dominant female killer whale, Kasatka , repeatedly dragged experienced trainer, Ken Peters, to the bottom of the stadium pool during a show after hearing her calf crying for her in the back pools. In February 2010, an experienced female trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, Dawn Brancheau , was killed by killer whale Tilikum shortly after
2938-487: A wildlife animal park, all included in one price of admission. SeaWorld executives replied that their park was sold because of the short season of the animal park, Northeastern Ohio's cold winter months, and also because they were not able to get the necessary permits to build roller coasters like the other SeaWorld properties had been able to. In March 2004, Six Flags announced that it had sold Six Flags Worlds of Adventure to Cedar Fair Entertainment Company , operators of
3051-474: Is SeaWorld Orlando's night program, featuring the fireworks show Ignite , a sea lion show Sea Lions Tonite , a dolphin show Touch The Sky and killer whale show Shamu's Celebration: Light Up the Night . SeaWorld San Antonio opened on May 27, 1988. Its formal opening over Memorial Day Weekend 1988 held about 75,000 people. 3.3 million people visited SeaWorld San Antonio during its first year, 10% more than what
3164-468: Is a major theme park competitor to Six Flags , Disney Experiences and Universal Destinations & Experiences . The parks' marine mammal collections have been the subject of public debate and criticism over the years, with critics saying that the park's practices entail animal abuse. The 2013 documentary film Blackfish , produced after a SeaWorld Orlando trainer was killed by one of the park's orcas, led to initial decreases in attendance, profits and
3277-747: Is an American theme park chain with headquarters in Orlando, Florida . It is a proprietor of marine mammal parks , oceanariums , animal theme parks , and rehabilitation centers owned by United Parks & Resorts . The parks host shows starring marine mammals , especially dolphins (including orcas ) and pinnipeds (e.g. sea lions ), as well as zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. The parks also feature thrill rides, including roller coasters like Kraken , Mako and Manta at SeaWorld Orlando , which can also be found at SeaWorld San Diego , and Steel Eel and The Great White at SeaWorld San Antonio . Emperor , Arctic Rescue , and Electric Eel can be found at SeaWorld San Diego , with
3390-434: Is currently known as FCS football to what is currently known as FBS football at the earliest practicable date." On December 20, the two conferences jointly announced that they would fully merge their football leagues effective in 2023 under the tentative name of "ASUN–WAC Football Conference". The initial membership will be the aforementioned nine programs, with UTRGV becoming the tenth in 2025. The new football league will play
3503-586: Is illegal to bring drive hunt animals into the United States. He adds that, "SeaWorld opposes the dolphin hunts documented in The Cove . We do not purchase any animals from these hunts. More than 80 percent of the marine mammals in our care were born in our parks. We haven't collected a dolphin from the wild in decades." Since 1993, there have been no permits issued to facilities in the United States to import dolphins acquired through drive hunt methods. Marilee Menard,
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3616-451: The ASUN Conference in July 2021; that league planned to add FCS football, but not until at least 2022. The entry of the three incoming ASUN members into the new football league was officially confirmed at a February 23, 2021, ASUN press conference. These schools joined the Texas Four in a round-robin schedule officially branded interchangeably as the "ASUN–WAC Challenge" and "WAC–ASUN Challenge";
3729-506: The Big 12 in 2012). The Big West announced that it would drop football after the 2000 season, but four of its football-playing members ( Boise State , Idaho , New Mexico State , and Utah State ) were unwilling to drop football. Boise State was invited to join the WAC and promptly departed the Big West, while New Mexico State and Idaho joined the Sun Belt Conference (NMSU as a full member, Idaho as
3842-485: The Big West Conference , before eventually deciding to simply remain in the MWC. These changes left the WAC's viability as a Division I football conference in grave doubt. The two remaining football-playing members, New Mexico State and Idaho, began making plans to compete in future seasons as FBS Independents ; they ultimately spent only the 2013 season as independents, rejoining their one-time football home of
3955-510: The Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio . Cedar Fair returned the park to its original Geauga Lake name and stripped the park itself of all Looney Tunes and DC Comics branding, including walk around character costumes pertaining to either franchise, since the company did not have the licensing rights. Since Six Flags retained ownership of the animals, the majority of the animal portion of
4068-499: The Endangered Species Act of 1973 . Since its inception SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has rescued and helped more than 40,000 animals, including ill, orphaned or abandoned and injured manatees, dolphins, pilot whales, sea turtles, and birds. As part of its animal rehabilitation program, SeaWorld has claimed the first birth of a killer whale in captivity, the first birth of a marine mammal via artificial insemination and
4181-619: The Michigan Wolverines , 24–17. Because of the WAC's contract with the Holiday Bowl, BYU, top-ranked and the only undefeated team in Division I-A going into that season's bowls, was obligated to play in the mid-tier Holiday Bowl against a mediocre (6–5) Michigan squad. Again, the Holiday Bowl came down to the final few plays. BYU drove the length of the field and scored on a pass from injured All-American quarterback Robbie Bosco to Kelly Smith with 1:23 remaining. Marv Allen, who had played in
4294-575: The Missouri Valley Conference . Also, two WAC members for men's sports at the time, Air Force and Hawaiʻi, brought their women's sports into the WAC. With the expansion, the WAC was divided into two divisions, the Mountain and the Pacific. To help in organizing schedules and travel for the far-flung league, the members were divided into four quadrants of four teams each, as follows: Quadrant one
4407-613: The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied an appeal by SeaWorld. On December 22, 2015, an 18-year old SeaWorld orca, Unna, died from a fungal infection at the SeaWorld Park in San Antonio , Texas. In 2013, SeaWorld's treatment of killer whales in captivity was the basis of the film Blackfish , which documents the history of Tilikum , a killer whale captured by SeaLand of
4520-439: The University of Texas at Brownsville ; the new institution, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), began operation for the 2015–16 school year. UTRGV inherited UTPA's athletic program and WAC membership. In January 2017, California Baptist University announced it would transition from NCAA Division II and join the WAC in 2018. In November 2017, Cal State Bakersfield announced it would accept an invitation to
4633-642: The WAC Championship Game , held at Sam Boyd Stadium (also known as the Silver Bowl) in the Las Vegas Valley . Increasingly, most of the older, pre-1996 members—particularly Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, Utah, and Wyoming—felt chagrin at this new arrangement. Additional concerns centered around finances, as the expanded league stretched approximately 3,900 miles (6,300 km) from Hawaii to Oklahoma and covered nine states and four time zones. With such
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4746-460: The West Coast Conference and Pac-12 Conference , respectively; BYU joined the Big 12 Conference in 2023 while Utah followed in 2024. In 2000, the University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada) of the Big West joined as part of its plan to upgrade its athletic program. TCU left for Conference USA in 2001 (it would later leave C-USA to become the ninth member of the Mountain West in 2005, and joined
4859-788: The West Coast Conference , beginning in the 2025-26 academic year. However, in November 2024, Grand Canyon declined the invitation to join the West Coast Conference after receiving an invite to join the Mountain West Conference. GCU will join the Mountain West no later than July 1, 2026 The Western Athletic Conference currently sponsors championship competition in 9 men's and 10 women's NCAA-sanctioned sports. Nine other schools are currently associate members in four sports. The WAC sponsored football from its founding in 1962 through
4972-589: The "Texas Four" of Abilene Christian University , Lamar University , Sam Houston State University , and Stephen F. Austin State University , then members of the Southland Conference , along with Southern Utah University , currently of the Big Sky Conference . Originally, all schools were planned to join in July 2022, but the entry of the Texas Four was moved to July 2021 after the Southland expelled its departing members. The WAC also announced that it would most likely add another football-playing institution at
5085-471: The 2012 season. However, the defection of all but two football-playing schools to other conferences caused the conference to drop sponsorship after fifty-one years. On January 14, 2021, the WAC announced its intention to reinstate football as a conference-sponsored sport at the FCS level, as well as the addition of five new members to the conference in all sports, including football. The new members announced include
5198-492: The 2013–14 season, shortly after Idaho opted to return all of its non-football sports to the Big Sky Conference in 2014–15. The conference responded over the next two months by adding Grand Canyon University , Chicago State University , and the University of Texas-Pan American . Then, in February 2013, the WAC announced the University of Missouri–Kansas City would join in the summer of 2013 as well. These changes would put
5311-516: The 2022 edition, due to the 2020 and 2021 cancellations. Western Athletic Conference The Western Athletic Conference ( WAC ) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the Western United States with member institutions located in Arizona , California , Texas , Utah and Washington . Due to most of the conference's football -playing members leaving
5424-511: The ASUN and WAC to 5 playoff-eligible football members, one short of the six required for an automatic playoff berth. This led the WAC and ASUN to renew their football partnership for the 2022 season. Both conferences would hold their own 2022 football seasons; on June 10, 2022, the WAC announced that the two leagues would determine the alliance's automatic qualifier by a process that was not announced at that time. ESPN reported on December 9, 2022, that
5537-612: The Alamo Bowl's offer of a $ 3 million payout (the Holiday Bowl was only offering $ 2.35 million). The Pac-12 and Big 12 retained their contracts with the Holiday Bowl, however, and the 2010–2013 matchups pitted the No. 3 Pac-12 team against the No. 5 Big 12 team. Starting with the 2014 game, the Big Ten signed a six-year contract to return after a 20-year absence to the Holiday Bowl, regaining the slot that it had held from 1991 to 1994. With this agreement,
5650-469: The Big West and join its new conference in 2020. In January 2019, Dixie State University , now known as Utah Tech University, announced it would move its athletics to Division I and join the WAC in 2020. In June 2019, the University of Missouri–Kansas City announced it would leave the WAC to join the Summit League in 2020; this announcement came shortly before the rebranding of its athletic program as
5763-491: The FCS level has also been accompanied by speculation that the conference intends to eventually move its football league back up to FBS in the future, possibly by 2030. Later that same month, the WAC moved the start of their FCS sponsorship of football to Fall 2021, with media reports indicating that the University of Central Arkansas , Eastern Kentucky University , and Jacksonville State University would be added as football affiliates for 2021. The three schools were set to join
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#17328561872835876-608: The High Country Athletic Conference, a parallel organization to the WAC for women's athletics, in 1990 to unify both men's and women's athletics under one administrative structure. In 1996, the WAC expanded again, adding six schools to its ranks for a total of sixteen. Rice , TCU , and SMU joined the league from the Southwest Conference , which had disbanded. Big West Conference members San Jose State and UNLV were also admitted, as well as Tulsa from
5989-524: The Holiday Bowl featured the No. 3 Pac-12 team and the No. 4 Big Ten team. In 2019, the bowl announced plans to host a Pac-12 team and an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) team during the 2020-2025 games. Through 2019, the bowl was played at San Diego Stadium . The stadium was demolished beginning in the autumn of 2020, at which point the game was played at Petco Park . In 2024, the bowl returned to Mission Valley playing in Snapdragon Stadium , built on
6102-667: The Holiday Bowl filed a lawsuit in San Diego County , seeking $ 3 million in damages from the Pac-12 and UCLA due to their withdrawal from the 2021 game. Organizers also stated that since reimbursement was not provided for cancellation of the 2021 game, the bowl withheld a $ 3.2 million payment to Pac-12 member Oregon for the 2022 game. Sponsors of the game have included SeaWorld ; Thrifty Car Rental ; Chrysler Corporation (through its Plymouth brand); Culligan ; Pacific Life ; Bridgepoint Education ; National University ; National Funding,
6215-583: The Kansas City Roos. In September 2019, Tarleton State University of Division II announced that it would move to Division I and join the WAC in 2020. On January 14, 2021, the Western Athletic Conference announced its intention to reinstate football as a conference-sponsored sport at the FCS level, as well as the addition of five new members to the conference in all sports, including football, at
6328-528: The Lake Milton/ Newton Falls area west of Youngstown, Ohio , it was decided that Aurora, Ohio would be the new home of a SeaWorld. The park opened on May 29, 1970. The Aurora site was approximately 15 miles (24 km) northwest of the Lake Milton site and 30 miles (48 km) southeast of Cleveland. By this time, the founders of the company had captured a few more species of animals, including
6441-501: The Pacific (and later rescued by SeaWorld Orlando) who has been involved in the deaths of three people. In the aftermath of the release of the film, Martina McBride , 38 Special , REO Speedwagon , Cheap Trick , Heart , Barenaked Ladies , Trisha Yearwood , and Willie Nelson canceled scheduled concerts at SeaWorld parks. SeaWorld disputes the accuracy of the film, calling it "propaganda" and "emotionally manipulative". SeaWorld spent $ 15 million on an advertising campaign countering
6554-590: The Pacific-10. The Holiday Bowl inherited the Fiesta Bowl's former WAC ties and gave the conference's champion its automatic bid. For the first several editions, the WAC champion played an at-large team; from 1991 through 1994 , the Big Ten Conference was given the second bid, provided it had enough bowl-eligible teams. Beginning in 1995 , the Big Eight Conference replaced the Big Ten and remained tied with
6667-545: The Southland Conference in 2023 roughly three months prior to UIW's announcement, on April 8, 2022; however, three months later, it was announced that the SLC and Lamar would be accelerating the rejoining process so that Lamar could return for the 2022 athletic season instead. Jacksonville State and Sam Houston both started FBS transitions in the 2022 season, rendering both ineligible for the FCS playoffs and also dropping both
6780-463: The Southland had expelled the Texas Four after they announced their departure. Southern Utah entered as scheduled in 2022. During the aforementioned press conference, Hurd also announced that the WAC would split into two divisions for all sports except football and men's and women's basketball. One division will consist of the six Texas schools (the Texas Four plus existing members Tarleton and UTRGV). Also on January 14, 2021, news broke that UTRGV,
6893-455: The Sun Belt as football-only members in 2014 . In order to rebuild, as well as forestall further defections, the conference was forced to add two schools— Utah Valley University and CSU Bakersfield —which were invited in October 2012 to join the WAC in 2013–14, but this did not prevent two more members from leaving. Denver decided to take most of its athletic teams to The Summit League as of
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#17328561872837006-463: The WAC added Idaho, New Mexico State, and Utah State—all former Big West schools which left the conference in 2000 along with Boise State when that conference dropped football. The three new schools were all land grant universities , bringing the conference total to five (Nevada and Hawaii). The decade of the 2010s began with a series of conference realignment moves that would have trickle-down effects throughout Division I football, and profoundly change
7119-526: The WAC and ASUN had agreed to form a new football-only conference that planned to start play in 2024. The initial membership would consist of Abilene Christian, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton, and Utah Tech from the WAC, plus Austin Peay , Central Arkansas , Eastern Kentucky , and North Alabama from the ASUN. UTRGV would become the 10th member upon its planned addition of football in 2025. The new football conference also reportedly plans to move "from what
7232-469: The WAC and ASUN initially planned to have 6 playoff-eligible teams in 2022, but each lost such a member with the start of FBS transitions by Jacksonville State and Sam Houston. The WAC has been speculated to move back up to FBS in the future following the reestablishment of the football conference at the FCS level. SeaWorld 32°45′57″N 117°13′35″W / 32.7657°N 117.2263°W / 32.7657; -117.2263 SeaWorld
7345-418: The WAC for other affiliations, the conference discontinued football as a sponsored sport after the 2012–13 season , left the NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-A) and became one of the NCAA's eleven Division I non-football conferences. The WAC thus became the first Division I conference to drop football since the Big West in 2000. The WAC then added men's soccer. The WAC underwent
7458-441: The WAC for sports not sponsored by their primary conferences: The WAC has 34 former full members: Full members Full members (non-football) Other conference Other conference Associate members (non-football) The WAC formed out of a series of talks between Brigham Young University athletic director Eddie Kimball and other university administrators from 1958 to 1961 to form a new athletic conference that would better fit
7571-466: The WAC planned to add two additional football-playing members to begin competition in 2013. A further boost came when Boise State decided to join the Big East in football, and return to the WAC in most other sports, as of the 2013–14 academic year. So by the end of 2011, the WAC seemed to have weathered the latest round of conference changes, and once again reinvented itself for the future. But from this seemingly strong position, early 2012 brought forth
7684-543: The addition of the Aquatica water park to its adventure park, which already includes SeaWorld and Discovery Cove . The parks were bought in 1989 by Busch Entertainment Corp. , the family entertainment division of Anheuser-Busch , which is best known for brewing beer. In 2009, Busch Entertainment was sold to the Blackstone Group and subsequently renamed SeaWorld Entertainment . In 2013, Blackstone sold 37% of SeaWorld Entertainment in an initial public offering and sold its remaining 21% holding to Zhonghong Zhuoye in 2017. It
7797-475: The allegations and emphasizing its contributions to the study of whales and their conservation. In August 2014, SeaWorld announced it planned to build new killer whale tanks that would be almost double the size of the existing ones to provide more space for its whales, scheduled for completion in 2018. The company maintained the move was not in response to the release of the Blackfish documentary. Wild killer whales may travel up to 160 kilometres (100 mi) in
7910-425: The bowl as the conference expanded to become the Big 12 the following year. The WAC's automatic bid was split, with first choice given to the Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas , and a team from the Pacific-10 was added as the alternate pick (meaning that, if the WAC champion played in the Cotton Bowl, a Pacific-10 team would play in the Holiday Bowl). The WAC ended its association with the Holiday Bowl after 1997 , and
8023-561: The company in 1976 and 12 years later they built a new park in Texas . In 1988, SeaWorld San Antonio opened just a few miles outside of San Antonio . Growth has pushed the city outwards and now SeaWorld San Antonio lies in the Westover Hills community in West San Antonio. The park was open year-round like its sister parks in California and Florida in 1988 and 1989, then went to a seasonal schedule. In May 1987, Robert Maxwell 's British Printing and Communication Corporation (BPCC) made an unsolicited bid to acquire HBJ. HBJ defended itself from
8136-543: The company's share price. In 2018, SeaWorld's attendance and revenue began to recover with the addition of new rides, shows, and animal exhibits at its parks, as well as increased marketing about the parks' conservation and rescue efforts. In 2016, SeaWorld announced that they would end their in-park orca breeding program and eventually phase out their theatrical orca shows altogether (due to state legislation in California that banned shows using orcas) starting in San Diego. It
8249-400: The conference's membership at eight members by 2014 with only one, New Mexico State, having been in the WAC just three years earlier. Due to losing the majority of its football-playing members, the WAC would stop sponsoring the sport after the 2012–13 season, thereby becoming a non-football conference. In 2013, the University of Texas System announced that Texas–Pan American would merge with
8362-568: The end of the marine-life park permanently. All of the animal stadiums and buildings were next torn down or converted into other venues. Some of the SeaWorld property remained intact, albeit hidden or modified. What remained included the former seal and sea lion area, the Ski Stadium (to be used in a Lumberjack show in 2006), the aquarium (to be used for unknown purposes), and two movie theater houses/simulators, once housing 3D/4D movies. The Ski Stadium
8475-482: The fall 2021 season in what it calls the ASUN–WAC (or WAC–ASUN) Challenge. The Challenge was abbreviated as "AQ7", as the top finisher of the seven teams would be an automatic qualifier for the FCS postseason. The two conferences renewed their alliance for the 2022 season, although both leagues will conduct separate conference seasons and then choose the alliance's automatic qualifier by an as-yet-undetermined process. Both
8588-543: The first SeaWorld park, opened on March 21, 1964. The park features shows such as Sea Lions Live , a comedic show with sea lions and otters, Dolphin Days , a dolphin show, and Orca Encounter , an educational show about killer whales and their behavior in the wild. There are also many seasonal shows which are featured in the summer, notability Cirque Electrique . Rides include Shipwreck Rapids, an Intamin River Rapids ride, Manta,
8701-495: The first hatching of captive green sea turtles. While acknowledging the value of these programs, critics and animal rights advocates have questioned SeaWorld's balance of conservation and education alongside the commercial activities of its theme parks. In 1998, SeaWorld, with the help of the US Coast Guard , released the gray whale J.J. after the whale was rehabilitated at SeaWorld San Diego for 14 months. Groups concerned for
8814-447: The first two being added in the past three years alone. Journey to Atlantis , a combination roller coaster and splashdown ride, can be found at all three parks. There are operations located within the United States in Orlando, Florida ; San Diego , California ; San Antonio , Texas ; later outside the United States such as Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates ; and previously Aurora, Ohio . On March 5, 2007, SeaWorld Orlando announced
8927-560: The game (Colorado appeared while a member of the Big 12). The only current or former Big 12 members that have not played in the bowl are Cincinnati , Houston , Iowa State , Kansas , TCU , UCF and West Virginia . Updated through the December 2023 edition (44 games, 88 total appearances). Source: The bowl was previously broadcast by Mizlou (1978–1984), Lorimar (1985), ESPN (1986–2016) and FS1 (2017–2019). It then moved over to Fox , although Fox did not carry its first Holiday Bowl until
9040-532: The game became a matchup between the Big 12 and Pacific-10. From 1998 to 2009, the matchup featured the No. 2 team in the Pacific-10/ Pac-12 and the No. 3 Big 12 team, but the Alamo Bowl outbid the Holiday Bowl to feature that matchup beginning in 2010. Holiday Bowl Executive Director Bruce Binkowski stated that average ticket prices for the Holiday Bowl would have had to be increased from $ 60 to $ 100 to match
9153-531: The health and safety of SeaWorld's captive killer whale population have asked for the animals to be released. SeaWorld has defended their decision to keep the animals by citing their inability to survive in the wild after years of captivity. In response to claims leveled at SeaWorld and other marine parks by the 2009 movie The Cove which accuses them of obtaining dolphins taken in drive hunts , SeaWorld spokesperson Fred Jacobs stated that, "We think we're being unfairly criticized for something we're opposed to." It
9266-598: The highly favored Cougars. BYU has played in a total of 11 Holiday Bowls, more than any other team. The 1980 game was known as "The Miracle Bowl" as BYU erased a 20-point SMU lead in the last two minutes of the game, tying the score on the last play of the game—a 60-yard pass from All-American quarterback Jim McMahon to tight end Clay Brown as time expired. BYU kicker Kurt Gunther added the game-winning extra point. The 1983 game between BYU and Missouri had its own dramatic ending, as BYU rallied behind All-American quarterback Steve Young . With just 23 seconds left, Young gave
9379-582: The hostile takeover attempt by going deeply into debt to make large cash payments to shareholders. The strain of the debt from fighting off the takeover, as well as a strategic decision to re-focus on HBJ's core publishing and insurance businesses, were factors in HBJ's decision to sell its theme park holdings in 1989. The Anheuser-Busch Company made an offer to purchase the SeaWorld parks. HBJ also owned and operated two other parks, Cypress Gardens and Boardwalk and Baseball , and out of fear of not being able to find
9492-527: The membership of the WAC. Boise State decided to move to the Mountain West Conference (MWC) for the 2011–12 season, and to replace departing BYU, the MWC also recruited WAC members Fresno State and Nevada for 2012–13. WAC commissioner Karl Benson courted several schools to replace those leaving, including the University of Montana , which declined, as well as the University of Denver , University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), and Texas State University-San Marcos , which all accepted effective 2012–13. But
9605-447: The needs and situations of certain universities which were at the time members of the Border , Skyline , and Pacific Coast Conferences. Potential member universities who were represented at the meetings included BYU , Washington State , Oregon , Oregon State , Utah , New Mexico , Arizona , Arizona State , and Wyoming . While the three Washington and Oregon schools elected to stay in
9718-474: The park, including all of the exhibits and animal stadiums, was either emptied or fenced off for the 2004 season. After a nearly season-long wait, the Cedar Fair company announced its plans for the non-operational side. That entire portion of the land would become an immense waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom, opening in two phases, with the first phase in 2005, followed by the second phase in 2006. This decision marked
9831-543: The parks to revive and prolong their longevity. SeaWorld is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). In July 2008, Anheuser-Busch was purchased by Belgian-Brazilian brewer InBev . InBev had a reputation as a cost-cutting company that would not be interested in holding non-beverage businesses. In 2009, the combined AB InBev sold its Busch Entertainment division to the Blackstone Group . The company
9944-456: The public. In February 2001, Anheuser-Busch sold the SeaWorld Ohio park to Six Flags , Inc., operators of neighboring Six Flags Ohio (initially Geauga Lake until 2000). Upon completion of the sale, the two parks were combined in spring 2001 as the so-called "mega-park" " Six Flags Worlds of Adventure ", which boasted its "three parks in one" uniqueness: a waterpark, an amusement park, and
10057-453: The reasons behind the split. "With Hawaii and the Texas schools separated by about 3,900 miles and four time zones, travel costs were a tremendous burden for WAC teams. The costs, coupled with lagging revenue and a proposed realignment that would have separated rivals such as Colorado State and Air Force, created unrest among the eight defecting schools." BYU and Utah would later leave the MWC for
10170-499: The region were added to the WAC, and UMKC (now known for athletic purposes as Kansas City ) departed the conference in 2020 for its former home of the Summit League . This left Chicago State, which does not sponsor football, as the only WAC member east of Texas. Chicago State's departure rendered Seattle University as the only WAC member institution not geographically located in the southwestern United States. On November 5, 2021, it
10283-562: The resulting eastward shift of the conference's geographic center led Hawaii to reduce travel expenses by becoming a football-only member of the MWC and joining the California-based Big West Conference for all other sports. Further invitations were then issued by the WAC to Seattle University and the University of Texas at Arlington . These changes meant that the conference would have 10 members for 2012–13, seven of which sponsored football, and Benson announced that
10396-455: The separate WAC league table. On the same day as the WAC's initial announcement, Chicago State University announced it would leave the WAC in June 2022. Chicago State was originally added in 2013 along with the University of Missouri–Kansas City , originally with an intention for both institutions to serve as anchors for a midwestern-centered division for the conference. No other universities in
10509-521: The site of San Diego Stadium. On October 22, 2020, organizers canceled the 2020 edition of the bowl, citing complications from the COVID-19 pandemic . The 2021 edition was called off hours before kickoff on December 28, due to COVID-19 protocol issues within the UCLA program, and officially canceled the next morning, after organizers could not secure a replacement team to face NC State . In May 2023, organizers of
10622-583: The six schools from both a competitive and financial standpoint. Arizona and Arizona State, in particular, experienced success in baseball with Arizona garnering the 1963 College World Series (CWS) runner-up trophy and ASU winning the CWS in 1965, 1967, and 1969. Colorado State and Texas–El Paso (UTEP), at that time just renamed from Texas Western College, were accepted in September 1967 (joined in July 1968) to bring membership up to eight. With massive growth in
10735-486: The size of the tanks in San Diego were put on hold in October 2015 after the California Coastal Commission ruled that the work could only go ahead if they banned captive breeding, which would eventually lead to end of killer whale shows at the park. On March 17, 2016, SeaWorld announced the end of their breeding program, which signifies the last generation of orcas in captivity in their care, though Takara
10848-558: The state of Arizona, the balance of WAC play in the 1970s became increasingly skewed in favor of the Arizona schools, who won or tied for all but two WAC football titles from 1969 onward. In the summer of 1978, the two schools left the WAC for the Pac-8, which became the Pac-10, and were replaced in the WAC by San Diego State and, one year later, Hawaii . The WAC further expanded by adding Air Force in
10961-416: The summer of 1980. A college football national championship won by Brigham Young in 1984 added to the WAC's reputation. This nine-team line-up of the WAC defined the conference for nearly 15 years. Fresno State expanded its athletic program in the early 1990s and was granted membership in 1992 as the nationwide trend against major college programs independent of conferences accelerated. The WAC merged with
11074-429: The temperature in which these whales live. Some evidence has shown that the condition can manifest in individuals after a month in captivity. Some argue that aggression among captive killer whales is common, whilst others claim that this also occurs in the wild. In August 1989, a dominant female killer whale, Kandu V , attempted to rake a newcomer whale, Corky II, with her mouth during a live show and smashed her head into
11187-483: The two conferences proposed an amendment to NCAA bylaws that would allow their partnership (and presumably any others of its kind) to receive an immediate FCS playoff berth. Utah Tech (formerly Dixie State) and Tarleton are included in alliance members' schedules, but are not eligible for the FCS playoffs until completing their Division I transitions in 2024; at least for 2021, games involving those two schools did not count in alliance standings, although both were included in
11300-412: The underwater restaurant concept was deemed unfeasible, they scrapped those plans and decided to build a park instead, and SeaWorld San Diego was opened on March 21, 1964. With only a few dolphins, sea lions, 6 attractions and 22 acres (89,000 m ), the park proved to be a success and more than 400,000 guests visited in the first 12 months. After considering other locations in the midwest, including
11413-465: The very first Holiday Bowl as a redshirt freshman in 1978, sealed the victory with an interception. This game marks a rare example of a non- New Year's Six bowl game featuring a team later named national champion. Rankings are based on the AP poll prior to the game being played. Source: The bowl names offensive and defensive MVPs; in some instances, co-MVPs have been named, or two offensive MVPs in lieu of
11526-409: The water that is an electric remaster of the original Cirque de la Mer show). SeaWorld Orlando opened on December 15, 1973. One Ocean , a killer whale show that premiered April 22, 2011, was hosted here, before being replaced with "Orca Encounter", along with, Dolphin Days , the park's dolphin show, and, a new show that made its debut on June 14, 2015, Clyde and Seamore's Sea Lion High . This show
11639-460: The world's captive killer whales, is cited for its role. Killer whale captivity is a widely debated topic. Regarding anatomy, captive killer whales can exhibit collapsed dorsal fins. However, this trait has been witnessed in the wild and a prominent theory proposes this phenomenon can occur when any orcas live in relatively warmer conditions. Though, since captive orcas are more likely to breach, rising up to warmer waters, captivity itself can increase
11752-564: Was always part of the Pacific Division, and quadrant four was always part of the Mountain Division. Quadrant two was part of the Pacific Division for 1996 and 1997 before switching to the Mountain Division in 1998, while the reverse was true for quadrant three. The scheduled fourth year of the alignment was abandoned after eight schools left to form the Mountain West Conference. The division champions in football met from 1996 to 1998 in
11865-440: Was announced later in the same year, that SeaWorld would build their first park without killer whales and outside of the United States in Abu Dhabi . In 2020, SeaWorld Orlando introduced its Orca Encounter presentation to guests. SeaWorld was founded in 1964 by Milton Shedd , Ken Norris , David Demott and George Millay . The four graduates of UCLA originally set out to build an underwater restaurant and marine life show. When
11978-517: Was founded in 1978 to give the Western Athletic Conference an automatic bowl bid after the Fiesta Bowl , which previously had a tie-in with the conference, ended its association with the WAC following the departure of Arizona and Arizona State (the latter of which served as the game's host) to join the Pacific-8 Conference in the summer of 1978, leading to the conference renaming itself as
12091-451: Was originally projected. The park shows "Orca Encounter", an educational killer whale show; Ocean Discovery an educational show featuring dolphins and beluga whales ; and Sea Lion & Otter Spotlight , a sea lion show following the sea lions Clyde and Seamore touring a marine conservation center. Parks rides include Wave Breaker: The Rescue Coaster , a double launch roller coaster, The Great White , an inverted roller coaster, Steel Eel ,
12204-462: Was recently changed to Sea Lion & Otter Spotlight in mid 2021. The park contains 3 main roller coasters, with a fourth opening in 2022, joined by one junior coaster. They are Kraken , a floorless coaster based on the mythical sea creature, Manta , a coaster designed to simulate how manta rays move, and Mako, a hyper coaster themed to the fastest shark in the ocean. All 3 are built by the manufacturer B&M , while Super Grover's Box Car Derby,
12317-425: Was removed in 2008 to make way for Coconut Cove, a refreshment station/observation area. All of these, except for Wildwater Kingdom, closed in 2007. Wildwater Kingdom closed after the 2016 season. SeaWorld's main attraction is its killer whales, several of which are housed in 5.8-million-US-gallon (22,000 m ) tanks (equivalent to nine Olympic sized swimming pools ) that are each known as Shamu Stadium. Shamu
12430-418: Was renamed SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment in December 2009. In 2013, Blackstone sold 37% of SEAS in an initial public offering. In 2016, SeaWorld admitted that it had been sending its employees to pose as activists to spy on animal rights organization PETA . Following an investigation by an outside law firm, SeaWorld's Board of Directors directed management to end the practice. SeaWorld San Diego,
12543-439: Was reported that New Mexico State and Sam Houston would be leaving the WAC for Conference USA in 2023. The WAC responded by adding Incarnate Word from the Southland Conference and UT Arlington from the Sun Belt Conference ; however, UIW later reversed course and decided to stay with the SLC only days before the 2022-23 athletic season officially began. Lamar also announced that it too would return to its former home of
12656-545: Was still pregnant at the time. Theatrical orca shows ended at SeaWorld San Diego in 2017 and ended in Orlando and San Antonio in 2019. In November 2014, SeaWorld announced that attendance at the parks had dropped 5.2% from the previous year, profits had fallen 28% over that quarter, and the company's stock was down 50% from the previous year. From 2014 to 2015, net income in the second quarter fell 84% from $ 37.4 million to $ 5.8 million, while revenue fell from $ 405 million to $ 392 million. In February 2020, SeaWorld announced
12769-638: Was the name of the first killer whale brought to SeaWorld San Diego in the 1960s from the Seattle Marine Aquarium . ' Shamu ' is now used as a stage name for killer whales in performances at SeaWorld parks. Currently, SeaWorld houses 18 killer whales in its three parks. Organizations such as World Animal Protection and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society campaign against the captivity of dolphins and killer whales; SeaWorld, which holds most of
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