Behind The
Bowls, Part 2
The swag, the
events, the background for each bowl game
By
Richard Cirminiello
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Part 1 |
Part 3
Motor City Bowl
Best Non-Game Event
For the players, it’s the Motor City Bowl “Players Night Out”. For the
fans, it has to be the pre-game pep rally in Greektown.
Player Gift Package
Players from each school will receive a leather, rolling logoed athletic
travel bag, a computer/backpack style bag, a Motor City Bowl
commemorative watch, and an autographed Motor City Bowl souvenir
football.
Charitable Component
The Motor City Bowl contributes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. It’s also
a prominent member of the Stocking Stuffer Program, in which corporate
donations benefit charities and students throughout the Metro Detroit
and southeast Michigan area.
How Success is Measured
The bowl's success is measured by the combination of attendance and
local economic impact.
MVP of the Bowl
The bowl's Executive Director Ken Hoffman is the visionary that
devised the plan to bring a college bowl game to Detroit, and that it is
a celebration of the city's legacy with the auto industry. He brought in
partner, George Perles, and even today continues to be the driving force
behind the Motor City Bowl.
Impact to the Community
The Metro Detroit Convention & Visitors Bureau estimates that the
Motor City Bowl generates an economic impact of $14 million on the
Greater Detroit economy.
Role of Volunteers
The Motor City Bowl is a non-BCS bowl game, and is also only in its
12th year of operation. Therefore, the bowl does not have the available
budget of older, more historic bowls. Further, the bowl is not in one of
the nation's warm weather climates during the winter months, which
impacts the outdoor "play time" available to the bowl travel parties and
the ancillary sponsor opportunities that go with such advantages. This
combination makes for a limited paid-staff, even though the same tasks
that are required to operate a successful bowl in those other locales
must be carried out. As a result, volunteers are the lifeblood of the
Motor City Bowl's success.
Meineke Car Care Bowl
Best Non-Game Event
For the players, it is the LMS Experience. Both teams are taken to the
Lowe's Motor Speedway and everyone gets three laps with the Richard
Petty Driving Experience at 160 mph.
For the fans, it is the RBC Bank Street Festival and Pep Rally. Streets
are blocked off in the center of Charlotte with vendors for food,
merchandise, games and interactive situations. A live band will play on
the stage. Then at 5 PM, the Pep Rally features players and coaches from
both teams, marching bands and special guests to fire up fans for the
game the next day.
Player Gift Package
Players from each school will receive a Flip (digital video recorder), a
personalized commemorative football, a Fossil watch and sunglasses kit,
a laptop backpack, and a racing-themed baseball hat.
Charitable Component
Through the title sponsor, the bowl has a relationship with Levine
Children's Home. It is a wing of Carolinas Medical Center dedicated to
serving sick children.
How Success is Measured
The bowl game is a success if the players and fans leave saying it
was one of the best experiences they have had at a sporting event.
MVP of the Bowl
The Meineke Car Care Bowl staff works as a true team. Everyone is
involved in all facets of the bowl game.
Impact to the Community
The event has an estimated economic impact of $20 million each year.
Hotels and restaurants in Uptown saw very slow business during the end
of December before the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Now, they have some of
their busiest nights of the year.
Role of Volunteers
The Meineke Car Care Bowl has a limited number of volunteers, but
they are crucial. The volunteers work with the teams, as liaisons and
hospitality room managers.
Champs Sports Bowl
Best Non-Game Event
Florida Citrus Sports has an entire week of events between its two
games, the Champs Sports Bowl and Capital One Bowl, called Bowl-a-Palooza,
which this year is featuring Cheap Trick. At its games, the players’
favorites are usually the theme-park visits simply because its something
they can't do every day, much less at most other bowls.
Player Gift Package
Players receive a $400 Best Buy shopping spree while they are in
Florida, a commemorative watch, and a goody bag.
Charitable Component
The governing organization, Florida Citrus Sports, has a charitable
foundation that is benevolent throughout the year.
How Success is Measured
Finances are naturally a key factor, but as stated to its members
and scouts who select the participants, Florida Citrus Sports is always
looking for the best matchup. Last year, it successfully achieved that
with Michigan-Florida in the Capital One Bowl and Michigan State-Boston
College in the Champs Sports Bowl, as both were lauded as two of the
best games on the field last season.
MVP of the Bowl
Executive director Steve Hogan is a vital cog at Florida Citrus
Sports, but he would probably say that this organization has been here
since 1947, and it will likely continue to be throughout the years
because of the hard work of the staff and the organization's members who
volunteer each year.
Impact to the Community
The impact is significant. A recent assessment of the two games—the
Champs Sports Bowl and Capital One Bowl—estimated that $71.7 million in
new economic activity was generated as a result of the games last year.
Role of Volunteers
Enormous. They help throughout the Bowl-a-Palooza week from the
games to the Bowl-a-Palooza Concert to the Spherion Orlando Citrus
Parade and on and on.
Emerald Bowl
Best Non-Game Event
For players, coaches, and staffs, it’s the annual trip to Alcatraz
Island. The bowl has done it since the first game in 2002. Both teams go
on the same boat from Pier 33 to 'The Rock'. Two years ago, Bobby Bowden
called it the highlight of FSU's trip, other than winning the game. For
fans, the annual Kickoff Luncheon at the Westin St. Francis Hotel on
Union Square the day before the game is the highlight.
Player Gift Package
Players from each school will receive Sony noise-canceling headphones, a
rolling Armor Gear duffel bag, a Fossil watch, an Emerald Bowl cap.
Charitable Component
The Emerald Bowl works very closely with local Pop Warner football
programs.
How Success is Measured
In-stadium attendance, television ratings, and the perception that
the Emerald Bowl continues to be a rising star in this arena. Attendance
and ratings have been their highest the last two years.
MVP of the Bowl
Two. Michael Mendes, Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Foods, Inc., the
game's title sponsor since day one. Without Michael's involvement,
expertise and leadership, the game would be nowhere near where it is
currently. Executive director Gary Cavalli. He is the co-founder of the
game, and has been the game's only executive director since its
inception. He has the smallest staff of any bowl game, 2.5 people.
Impact to the Community
The 2007 Emerald Bowl generated $14.4 million to the local San Francisco
economy.
Role of Volunteers
Volunteers play a huge role in the success of the game. The
hospitality committee, chaired by Steve Steinhart, takes care of any and
all needs that the teams might have. Further, there is a corps of
game-day helpers in game operations, media, and other areas.
Independence Bowl
Best Non-Game Event
The Pep Rally. Everyone loves it. It’s been the scene of crowds in
excess of 30,000 over the last few years. It’s held at the Louisiana
Boardwalk, which is an outdoor shopping mall across the Red River in
Bossier City, La.
Player Gift Package
Players from each school will receive a Trek Mountain Bike, a New
Era baseball cap, a Timely Co. watch, and a souvenir football.
Charitable Component
The bowl coordinates a Military Ticket Initiative in which it offers the
area military discounted tickets. It also has a unique program created a
few years ago by Media Relations Director Patrick Meehan called the
"Kid's Corner Youth Ticket Donation Program". Area businesses and
individuals donate tickets to local non-profit organizations in an
effort to give kids, who normally would not have the chance, the
opportunity to attend the game.
How Success is Measured
Ticket sales, TV ratings, and feedback from visiting fans, the teams,
and the media
MVP of the Bowl
While it’s hard to single out one individual, Independence Stadium
manager Ronnie Hammond is indispensable to the success of the game. If
the bowl handed out a Heisman Trophy, he’d land the hardware.
Impact to the Community
The local economic impact of the game ranges from $12-20 million
annually. The Independence Bowl gives the region a chance to showcase
Shreveport-Bossier to a national audience via ESPN. Out-of-town
visitors, in particular, help local hotels, casinos, restaurants, and
other business achieve their annual financial objectives.
Role of Volunteers
Volunteers play a huge role in the success of the event. They are a
must. The Independence Bowl relies on hundreds of volunteers each year
who form committees and help put on bowl week events, host teams, and
provide hospitality to visitors.
Alamo Bowl
Best Non-Game Event
The pep rally on the river two days before the game is one of the most
popular and is uniquely San Antonio. Players and bands arrive to the
River Theatre via river cruisers with captains, coaches, and
cheerleaders on stage. Thousands of fans pack the theatre with many more
lined up and down the Riverwalk.
Player Gift Package
An 80 gig Sony PS3, a basketball PS3 video game, a Fossil watch, and a
mini-helmet.
Charitable Component
The bowl has a scholarship program which recognizes 25 outstanding San
Antonio high school kids at the game and gives them $3,000 toward the
school of their choice.
How Success is Measured
The goal each year is to deliver top ratings, capacity crowds, and a
significant economic impact to San Antonio.
MVP of the Bowl
Derrick Fox is the president of the Alamo Bowl and was hired 18 months
before the inaugural game. He had previously spent six years at the
Fiesta Bowl and has taken this game from No. 18 out of 18 bowl games, in
terms of team payout, to No. 12 out of 34 games.
Impact to the Community
It delivers an economic impact of more than $20 million each year in
terms of visitor spending, as well as millions more in measurable media
value for the city.
Role of Volunteers
With a staff of just six full-time employees, the Alamo Bowl
requires a volunteer staff to help deliver the San Antonio bowl
experience that the teams and the fans have come to expect.
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Part 3