San Diego's two post-season college football games combined to produce an economic impact of $29.6 million for the San Diego region in 2012. This figure was the result of a study conducted by the San Diego State University Center for Hospitality and Tourism Research. Both games are organized by the San Diego Bowl Game Association.
The 8th annual San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, which was played December 20th and featured the BYU Cougars and San Diego State Aztecs, generated an economic impact of $9.1 million. The study revealed that almost 10,000 fans traveled from outside the County of San Diego to attend the game. Total attendance at the Qualcomm Stadium event was 35,442.
The 35th annual Holiday Bowl, which was played December 27 and featured the Baylor Bears and UCLA Bruins, generated $20.5 million in economic impact.
"Once again, the San Diego Bowl Game Association proved its importance to our community," said 2012 President John Wertz. "For 35 years now, the Holiday Bowl has played a significant economic role in the success of San Diego's tourism industry. And with the addition of the Poinsettia Bowl and its pre-Christmas playing date, we are filling hotel rooms and providing patrons for restaurants and shops during two of San Diego's slowest weeks of the tourism year."
The mission of the non-profit San Diego Bowl Game Association is to generate tourism, exposure, economic benefit and civic pride for San Diego and its citizens by presenting the nation's most exciting and entertaining bowl games and festivals of events.
Since its inception in 1978, the San Diego Bowl Game Association has created an impact of $668 million.
