The University of Colorado at Boulder's Program Council has announced the CU-Boulder Trivia Bowl will return for the second year of its revival in 2002 to entertain viewers and participants as teams go head-to-head on pop-culture trivia questions.
Trivia Bowl 2002 will take place the week of April 1 through April 5 in the bowl's traditional location, the Glenn Miller Ballroom of the University Memorial Center, at 3 p.m. daily. The bowl was revived in April 2001 after an eight-year hiatus.
Team applications and rules of the game are available on the Web at or through several offices at the University Memorial Center. Program Council, the student-run entertainment branch of the UMC, will produce the bowl.
The application deadline is March 13 and teams will be chosen based on a seeding test to be given March 17 at the UMC.
Two brackets will be created from the results of the test. The Student Bracket will be composed of the 32 top-scoring student teams and the Community Bracket will be composed of the top scoring non-student and remaining student teams.
Interested individuals are urged to submit applications early to ensure a position in the bowl. Applications can be obtained at the reception desk on the second floor of the UMC, in the Student Organizations Finance Office of the UMC, room 231, or at the Program Council office, UMC room 409.
An entry fee of $25 is required upon application. Applications can be delivered or mailed to SOFO, UMC room 231, UCB 207, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309.
In previous years, teams have tapped players from across the nation to vie for the coveted Trivia Bowl trophy. Typically, teams are comprised of four or five players, with five-member teams having four starters and one alternate.
CU's first Trivia Bowl was launched in 1968 by then business Professor David Bowen, head coach of CU's undefeated 1967 G.E. College Bowl team. The Trivia Bowl became an immediate campus success.
In the first bowl, the team "Beagle Boys" beat out 31 other teams to take the title under captain Steve Ross.
Because of large crowds, the Trivia Bowl moved from its first-year location in the UMC's old cafeteria to the Glenn Miller Ballroom. By 1970 the Trivia Bowl was firmly established and local businesses were donating hundreds of dollars worth of prizes. The Trivia Bowl Film Festival also was added that year.
The bowl expanded from 1971 to 1973, including expansion of the film festival and the addition of the Trivia Bowl guest stars. Pinky Lee performed in 1971, and Freddie Cannon sang "Palisades Park" before 1,200 screaming nostalgia buffs in the ballroom in 1972. In 1973 Del Shannon performed "Runaway" and "Runaround Sue" to overflowing crowds.
In 1974, with 48 teams competing and team "Chance Rejuvenated" taking the honors, Bobby Vee provided entertainment with hits including "Rubber Ball" and "Come Back When You Grow Up." By 1976 so many teams had signed up to compete that Program Council was forced to split the competition into amateur and master divisions.
Over the years, the Trivia Bowl was featured on ABC's Wide World of Entertainment, the Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder, the Disney Channel and in Newsweek, P.M. magazine and Games magazine, which called it "the largest and most prestigious competition of its kind." Other entertainers included the Coasters, Tommy James, Bo Diddley and The Guess Who.
When it ended in 1993, a proliferation of radio stations, musical styles and 100-station cable offerings were among the phenomena blamed for the bowl's decreasing popularity.
For more information call Program Council: 303-492-7704.