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Win or lose, bowl game's impact is enormous for San Jose StateBy Jon Wilner
Mercury News

AP Photo/The Albuquerque Journal, Adolphe Pierre-Louis
San Jose State football coach Dick Tomey, left and New Mexico football coach Rocky Long, has had a chance to bring recruits to the Spartans' pre-bowl practices. A handful attended a Saturday-afternoon session.
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San Jose State is quickly learning a central lesson of college football's 21st-century bowl system. For up-and-coming programs, winning your bowl game isn't crucial. What matters is getting into a bowl game, because of the benefits that come with prolonging the season.

In SJSU's case, getting into the New Mexico Bowl means weeks of additional media coverage and feel-good booster functions. It has given the Spartans recruiting advantages over their bowl-less peers, and it has created new marketing and fundraising opportunities.

Those developments will have a far greater impact on SJSU's future than what transpires over three hours Saturday afternoon in Albuquerque.

``It builds a platform of respect, of pride in being a Spartan,'' Athletic Director Tom Bowen said. ``It has infused the athletic department with excitement. We're changing the culture.''

How has getting into the New Mexico Bowl affected SJSU, which is making its first bowl appearance in 16 years? Let's get to the specifics:

How are ticket sales going for that bowl game? Is SJSU expected to bring a lot of fans with them?

Phil,

That is just fantastic. I hope the Spartans keep the momentum going.

DCBronc

According to the ABQ Journal, they've sold ~27K tickets. The article spartanphil posted says SJSU expects to sell ~2K.

Another benefit the article doesn't specifically mention is the extra practices that bowl teams are allowed, giving them a leg up on next year.[/url]

All I want for Christmans is a bowl-berth for Utah State sometime in the next decade. (In the next 5 years would be especially nice). :rocker:

Noticed somebody dropped Tomey's name on the SEC board as the next Alabama coach.

All pub...is good pub.

Tomey has done a great job in year 2. Year three will be even better.

Gotta be impressed with the California talent they're bringing in.