Obviously attendance at almost all the non-Jan 1 bowls is often poor to very poor. The word is that ESPN doesn't care about local attendance, rather they just need content inventory. But somebody has to care, right. I mean how does ESPN sell this "inventory" to advertisers if nobody is much watching. Maybe these "title sponsors" get these games on the cheap. I dunno. But now that the CFP has created these 30 some-odd NIT bowls, it just seems somebody has to be left bnb holding the bag. I can't think of a single compelling NIT bowl incl the Jan 1's.
It’s always been this way, no one has ever cared to travel to this type of games. With the CFP even the Jan 1 bowls struggle to sell tickets, if the playoffs expand to 8 the Jan 1 bowls will die.
The attendance at the games might be bad but TV might get (guesstimating) 1 mil views for the Car Care Bowl and that's something ESPN can sell to advertisers.
People attending only helps local businesses around the Bowl Game, ESPN really doesn't care about that so they don't care what attendance is.