It Was Smart for the Big 12 to Dump the Pinstripe Bowl

The Big 12 conference will be playing its last Pinstripe Bowl game against the American Athletic Conference (nee Big East) this year, ESPN's Brett McMurphy reports. 

The four-year deal between the two conferences will not be renewed. In its place, according to McMurphy, will be an agreement between the Big Ten and ACC.

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Starting in 2014, the Pinstripe Bowl is expected to be in a Big Ten three-bowl pool with the Kraft Fight Hunger and Gator/Music City to get the fifth through seventh selections from the conference.

The Pinstripe also is expected to be in an ACC four-bowl pool with the Belk, Sun and Gator/Music City to get the third through sixth selections from the league.

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The Pinstripe Bowl can be problematic for college football. It is held at Yankee Stadium, which has a baseball field configuration. The Charleston Daily Mail's Jeff Casazza covered the 2012 Pinstripe Bowl and his observations were telling:

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The field was in awful shape by the end of the game with mud and ice. It wasn’t catered to at halftime and both teams wondered why — and the reply, as told to me, was that no one wanted to do it. The infield was exposed toward the end of the game. The sidelines were really slick—and also close to the outfield walls and the sponsorship signs.

But, man, that bowl logo was always visible at midfield.

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Big Ten fans have been hoping for a bowl that gives their teams more of a competitive advantage. They may have a valid complaint. Their bowl teams are usually playing in warm-weather states in December or January. But is that really a disadvantage? The Midwest has very warm summers, so it is not as if the players aren't used to warm weather. 

Some states don't see a lot of snowfall, much less play in it. An outdoor bowl in a cold-weather state would give the Big Ten a distinct advantage over others. But it is not a guarantee. Iowa State, Kansas State and West Virginia are located in states with snowy winters, yet all three lost their Pinstripe Bowl games. 

More from ESPN's David Ubben:

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Kansas State played in the inaugural game back in 2010 and encountered major snow storms that produced travel difficulties for fans and the team and forced the Wildcats to practice in a hotel ballroom. West Virginia dealt with nearly identical troubles last season and played the actual game in a blizzard.

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The Pinstripe Bowl is a hard sell for Big 12 fans who live in states with harsh winters. The Holiday Bowl in San Diego, Calif. is an easier sell.  

The Big 12 made the right move. The Gator Bowl or Russell Athletic Bowl look like excellent replacement bowls. And the Big Ten finally gets a bowl with an excellent potential for snowfall. The conference just agreed to an eight-year deal with the Pinstripe Bowl, according to CBS Sports. 

This was a win-win for both conferences.