THE SIDELINES : Gator Bowl to Join Jan. 1 Lineup

The Gator Bowl is moving to Jan. 1, becoming the eighth bowl game on New Year’s Day, officials announced today.

The game to be broadcast on ESPN will be the first of the day starting at 11:30 a.m., EDT, to be followed by the Hall of Fame Bowl at 1 p.m. and the Citrus Bowl at 1:30 p.m.

The decision to move the game from its earlier New Year’s Eve slot arose from a conflict with ESPN’s scheduling of regular-season National Football League games. The cable television network, which is in its third and final year of a contract with the Gator Bowl, plans to carry an NFL game at that time.

The Gator Bowl is beginning negotiations with ESPN on a new contract, and a decision must be reached before the Gator Bowl can begin talks with another network. But John Bell, executive director of the Gator Bowl, said, “It looks like ESPN is very much in our future.”