This bowl was established as a post-season game for the Mid-American Conference champion, replacing the Las Vegas Bowl in that respect. The Motor City Bowl was originally played in the Pontiac Silverdome. It moved to Ford Field in 2002. The game was jointly sponsored by the "Big Three" automakers in Detroit from 1998 to 2007 (Ford, General Motors and Chrysler). Starting with the 2008 game, Chrysler was replaced by the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights as a presenting sponsor. In 2009, Little Caesars became the title sponsor of the game.
