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Citrus Bowl History
The Citrus Bowl in Orlando is one of college football's signature events, a burst of Florida sunshine on New Year's Day. The game, traditionally played on January 1, usually pits an SEC team against a representative from the Big Ten.
The event was born in 1947 as the Tangerine Bowl, with the Catawba Indians beating the Maryville Scots, 31-6. The initial sponsors were members of a local Elks Lodge who each put up $100 to cover expenses. Proceeds went to the Harry Anna Children's Hospital, which is why the bowl would come to be known as the "Little Bowl with the Big Heart." The stadium, built in 1936 under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration, accommodated just 8,900 fans.
Today the stadium — now called Camping World Stadium — is a fully modern, 65,000-capacity facility, and the Citrus Bowl is a centerpiece of the bowl season. While it lacks the pageantry of the Rose Bowl on the other side of the country, the game is rich with the sport's history, both bad and good. The unbeaten 1955 Hillsdale College football team refused an invitation to the bowl after officials said the school's four black players would not be allowed to play. Likewise, University of Buffalo players in 1958 elected to skip the game because its two black players would have been kept off the field. But by 1966, the color line had been lifted, and Morgan State became the first historically black college to play in the bowl. The Bears went on to beat the West Chester Golden Rams, 14-6.
Other memorable games include the 1996 Citrus Bowl, in which fourth-ranked Tennessee beat fourth-ranked Ohio State, 20-14, and the 1969 edition, in which Toledo hung 56 points on Davidson, a bowl record that stands today.
I had a great time. My son and I attended the game together. It was the first live college football game for both my son and I. The stadium looked great with all of the new renovations. I would suggest the actual stadium seats be upgraded. The seats have no back support which is a challenge when watching a 3 hour event (comfort issue).
We were in section 328. We thought since it was so far up we would have trouble seeing the game. The view was excellent. Well designed stadium and excellent views from anywhere. I would go to this stadium anytime one of my teams is playing.
Cool stadium, sits in a neighborhood. Orlando did a great job with public transit.
Great weather. great game. great time! Would for sure do again.
Great time at the Capital One Bowl. It was awesome watching the Tide roll over the Spartans. The crowd was great and both teams fans were well behaved. The weather couldn't have been better. We took the buses from Amway Center and had only a short wait to get one on the way back.
Pregame and halftime shows were nothing special. Sponsor of event went cheap and you could tell by the goodies they passed out, 2 thunder sticks.. woop woop . Will not be back to this bowl. Stadium announcer never shut up, played annoying commercials while both teams bands tried to play. Too Loud!
Aside from the football game, which was a blowout, the overall event was good fun. The old Citrus Bowl stadium is showing it's age, but there were plenty of vendors and seating was comfortable enough. Getting in and out of the stadium was no problem, neither was finding a parking space. The only negative, and I think this is a very big one, is the pathetic scoreboard and replay screen. In today's modern world of technology the scoreboard/replay screen at the Citrus Bowl are sorely outdated. The replay screen, which in miniscule by today's standards, faces west so the sun washes out any hope of actually seeing the tiny screen. All in all, a good time. But Orlando needs to step up and spend some money to update the stadium, especially the audio/visual equipment.
When a venue runs out of softdrinks before the game starts, you know you're in trouble. And whoever heard of serving concession food on a flat, styrofoam plate. And the prices were outrageous! The only thing they didn't run out of was BEER. My husband was happy, of course, but I had to wait til 3rd qtr. to get a finally restocked diet soda. Never again to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, not til they make some much needed changes!
Great stadium, great area, and great game! Would defenitely recommend this Bowl game if your team is invited!
Great game, Never that I would get to see a Bama game.
Bowl game was a great family experience! Would highly recommend going to the game. The weather was great for January.
Well the Bama boys sent the little boys from Michigan packing with there Big 10 tail's tucked between there legs. And Michigan thought they should be in the BSC title game. Yeah right, Not! Overall the game was great if you were a Bama Fan and if now you left at the end of the 3rd quarter like most of the Michigan fans did. All I can say is Roll Tide and hope you can get a National Championship next year.
The stadium is in a horrible area. The parking situation was a MESS! If you didn't get a parking pass way ahead of time you were left with the option of parking in a privately owned peice of grass that left you wondering if your car would have tires on it when you returned. Not sure why they have bowl games at such a dumpy place. There are plenty of other warm places to have this bowl game.
Being at any top level college bowl game is exciting and fun. But the Citrus Bowl stadium in Orlando leaves much to be desired. The lines were huge... because they didn't have all of the vendor windows open. Or enough people doing the work. We were on the top level, and there was only a couple of places selling food out of tents, which had huge (20 minute) lines, even during off-times. It seemed like it was a surprise to them that there was a large event, and they'd need to properly staff for it! Game and atmosphere: 5 stars. Stadium: 1 star
This is just a great Orlando tradition on New Years Day, and the best event execution in the past several years. FCS does a wonderful job with the limitations of the actual facility they have to work with. Three suggestions for next year: 1. The volume of the advertisements during the pre-game was far more than the old speakers could bear, and was physically painful to the ears of attendees on the east side of the stadium. There was no need for the excessive volume focused towards those sections, and no need to overwhelm the team bands. 2. Keep in mind the attendee demographics when booking your half time entertainment. Everyone in the stands "got it" with the 60's school band music, no one got it with the hired "Stage Band." 3. Fix your computers for ticket checking on entrance to the stadium. Gate attendant ripped off bar code from on line ticket instead of scanning. Still, just a Great Event!!
Michigan State chokes in bowl games so they shouldn't be invited to any. The Tide was in a different class - pro vs. Pee-wee.
One of the best put together bowl games I have ever been to.
Purchased tickets on line. Got the least expensive ones, but the view was great. Bowl Games are great since there is such energy in the air. We also purchased parking passes from click and park so we tail gated as well. The whole place was fan friendly. Traffic moved well into and out of the area. Lots of security in the area. Orlando was beautiful, the weather was perfect, the game was ok ( a blowout by Alabama.) The stadium was easy to get to and the crowds and concessions worked well. I will go again next year.
The football game was good however the section I was sitting in ran out of hot dogs, powerade and water during the second quarter. Hot dogs were restocked near the end of half time but they never restocked the drinks.
WE were sitting in section 305 and before half time the concession stands on the 3rd deck had already sold out of water and other drinks... except BEER. Not good for family's who have kids!!!!