4 Suggestions For Bahamas Bowl Replacement Venues

For almost a decade, college football’s only bowl game to take place outside of the United States has been the Bahamas Bowl, which succeeded the International Bowl that ran from 2007-2010 and was hosted in Toronto, Ontario.

The contest has had tie-ins with Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference since its inception and has always been one of the more unique bowl games, due to its tropical setting and the idiosyncrasies of Nassau’s Thomas Robinson Stadium, which hosts the game.

As announced by ESPN in a press release, 2023’s game will need a new home with the 42-year-old facility undergoing renovations.

“The 2023 Bahamas Bowl will be played at an alternate venue due to ongoing renovations at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau. Specific bowl plans will be announced in the coming weeks, and we look forward to the bowl returning to the Bahamas next year.”

Since the game won’t be held in the Bahamas, giving athletes and fans alike a trip to paradise that’s highly-anticipated by those chosen to play in the game, we at G5 Football Daily pondered some locations that could be suitable replacements, for a year, of course.

• Jamaica National Stadium (Kingston, Jamaica)

If teams can’t go to a paradise-like location in the Bahamas, we think a trip to Jamaica will satisfy fans’ desires just the same. Built in 1962, National Stadium holds 35,000 fans – which is more than Thomas Robinson’s 23,000 and underwent renovations in 2021 to update a FIFA regulation football (soccer) pitch which would suffice for American football, a new media center and 11 private suites and a royal box. National Stadium is easily accessible from Kingston’s Norman Manley International Airport or Montego Bay’s Donald Sangster International Airport.

• FIU Stadium (Miami, Florida)

If the game can’t be taken off of the mainland, the closest FBS stadium by distance to the Bahamas is Florida International’s FIU Stadium. The home of the Panthers is an adequate facility that holds 20,000 which is more than enough to suit the game, which has a high mark of 13,667. For visitors to get an actual feel for Miami, playing the game at FIU is much more sufficient than attempting to play at the home of the Miami Hurricanes, Hard Rock Stadium, which sits almost an hour north on the Dade/Broward county line. Additionally, with the Conference USA tie-in, one of the game’s participants should have some familiarity with the stadium.

• Hiram Bithorn Stadium (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

Built in 1962, Puerto Rico’s Hiram Bithron Stadium has a long history of hosting sporting events and concerts. Known as a baseball stadium, was home to the MLB’s Montreal Expos for 22 games in their final season (2002) in Canada, before becoming the franchise now known as the Washington Nationals. The stadium holds up to 35,000 for concerts, but comes in at 18,264 for baseball. The trickiest situation here would be the dimensions, as bowl games held at Fenway Park and college games that have been at Yankee Stadium or Wrigley Field have proven to be feasible, but tighter than most football fields.

• Molson Memorial Stadium (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)

Admittedly this one's a little out there, but as lon as we're outside the United States...Canada may not have worked in 2010, but why not give it another shot? Molson Memorial regularly hosts the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, as well as McGill University, and holds just over 20,000 people. It was named one of the ten best stadiums in Canada as recently as this year. Maybe it's not the tropical setting we're used to with the Bahamas Bowl, but maybe Quebec needs some Caribbean vibes in the middle of winter.