10 Cities That Deserve To Host Bowl Game

Bowl sites, as a whole, are pretty bland. Of 2016-17's 41 bowl games, 20 are in Florida, Texas or California. The themes are mostly generic: FBS teams are rewarded with a warm-weather city with beach and pool events leading up to the actual game. For fans, this is a pleasing holiday vacation.

But times are changing. The Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium has enjoyed success in an urban, cold-weather venue. The Bahamas Bowl offers the same beach-and-pool attractions but it offers international flair. The Military Bowl in Annapolis gives East Coast fans an easy travel destination.

While we do not suggest the NCAA add even more games, a wider variety of bowl sites should be considered. There are three bowl games at one stadium in Orlando. Let's get some of these cold-weather cities, domed venues and fantasy sites in the rotation.

Chicago

Getty Images Chicago

The Pinstripe Bowl has proven that outdoor bowls in cold-weather major markets can work. In New York, players and coaches go to One World Trade Center, ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange and see The Rockettes. Chicago can be a similar Christmastime tourist attraction. Sure, it will be cold, but for college kids playing out their dreams at Soldier Field or Wrigley Field, would the weather really matter?

Potential Names: Wrigley Bowl, Cubby Bowl, Soldier Bowl, Windy Bowl, Wildcat Bowl, Kanye Bowl

St. Louis

Getty Images St. Louis

St. Louis lost the Rams, but it shouldn't lose football. At an intersection of Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC fan interests, the Gateway to the West is an easy destination. The Dome at America's Center, formerly the Edward Jones Dome, is still there, waiting to host indoor games. The dome has already hosted a Final Four and four regional finals, proving it is more than ready to handle big events.

Potential Names: Gateway Bowl, Arch Bowl, Heartland Bowl, Kroenke-less Bowl

Baton Rouge

Getty Images Baton Rouge

Death Valley has a certain "You have to be there" aura. This summer, Bleacher Report ranked Tiger Stadium the No. 2 venue in college football venue behind the Rose Bowl. For some reason, the NCAA plays two bowl games in New Orleans and one in Shreveport while Baton Rouge is empty-handed. Considering the magnitude of playing at Tiger Stadium, even small southern schools could and would travel well to Baton Rouge, a considerably cheaper destination than New Orleans.

Potential Names: Tiger Bowl, Bayou Bowl, Death Valley Bowl, True Detective Bowl

Louisville

Getty Images Louisville

Lamar Jackson and Louisville's success this year, along with a seven-win season from Kentucky, shows The Bluegrass State cares about football too. Louisville is a historic American city with a moderate climate that sits in the middle of Big Ten-ACC-SEC-Big 12-MAC country.

Potential Names: KFC Bowl, Bluegrass Bowl, Derby Bowl, Cardinal Bowl, Muhammad Ali Bowl, Louisville Slugger Bowl, Bourbon Bowl

Charleston

Getty Images Charleston

Charleston continues to evolve into one of America's great tourist destinations. On top of that, South Carolina loves football. With no FBS team in town, the venue could be an issue, but The Citadel's Johnson Hagood Stadium holds 21,000. That's more than the 15,023 capacity at Thomas Robinson Stadium, home of the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl.

Potential Names: Biscuit Bowl, CitaBowl, Palmetto Bowl, Palm Tree Bowl

Boston

Getty Images Boston

If Yankee Stadium has a bowl and we are proposing Wrigley Field also should get a bowl, Fenway Park deserves one too. The Patriot or Fenway Bowl would be pretty awesome.

Potential Names: Patriot Bowl, Fenway Bowl, Chowder Bowl, Paul Revere Bowl, Freedom Bowl, Minutemen Bowl, Clam Bowl, Good Will Hunting Bowl, Green Monster Bowl

San Juan

Getty Images San Juan

Unlike the International Bowl, which failed in Toronto, a game in the Caribbean offer a desirable beach vacation. With Puerto Rico being a commonwealth of the United States, San Juan makes more sense than Nassau. A bowl can grow the sport on an island that could produce future NCAA talent.

Potential Names: Puerto Rico Bowl, San Juan Bowl, Caribbean Bowl, Commonwealth Bowl, Navidad Bowl

Bay Lake

Getty Images Bay Lake

What is Bay Lake you ask? It is a city in Florida that technically is home to all four Walt Disney World theme parks, but more importantly, it is the home of Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex. Orlando's Camping World Stadium already hosts three bowl games. Disney has a baseball stadium for the Atlanta Braves' spring training and a basketball arena for the AdvoCare International college basketball tournament. Give the happiest place on earth a bowl game.

Potential Names: Magic Bowl, Happy Bowl, EPCOT Bowl, Space Mountain Bowl, Mickey Bowl, Walt Disney Bowl, Buzz Lightyear Bowl, Simba Bowl

Denver

Getty Images Denver

How do we let Boise have a bowl before Denver? The most populous city in the Rockies offers a vibrant tourist experience downtown, along with easy access to ski resorts. And let's be honest, it should not be hard to get Pac-12, Big 12, Big Ten and Mountain West students and young alumni to spend a few days in Colorado during the holiday season.

Potential Names: Ski Bowl, Mile High Bowl, Mountain Bowl, Rocky Bowl, Bronco Bowl, Elway Bowl

Sydney

Getty Images Sydney

OK, you want some place warm? How about Australia, where summer is underway? Hawaii and Cal opened the 2016 season Down Under, but with an August chill. Why not try a bowl game when it is actually warm in Australia and fans can make a spontaneous holiday trip west?

Potential Names: Australia Bowl, Kangaroo Bowl, Foster's Bowl, Koala Bowl, Boomerang Bowl

-- Follow Jeff Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband. Like Jeff Eisenband on Facebook.

Baton Rouge, Bay Lake, Boston, Boston Red Sox, bowl, Bowl game, bowls, charleston, Chicago, Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, College Football, Colorado Rockies, Denver, Denver Broncos, Fenway Park, Football, Gillette Stadium, Los Angeles Rams, Louisville, Melbourne, NCAA, NCAA Football, NCAAF, New England Patriots, Orlando, Pinstripe Bowl, Puerto Rico, San Juan, Soldier Field, St. Louis, Sydney, Wrigley Field