(04-12-2015 11:25 AM)Bull Wrote:  

(04-12-2015 01:43 AM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 02:01 PM)usm99 Wrote:  FWIW and my opinion...when the Mobile bowl was created in 1999 it was considered a bad deal to get sent there. Being a USM fan I went down for several days when we played TCU there in the 2000. The city does roll out the red carpet and makes it all about the teams/fans. I also went to the 2002 Houston Bowl when USM played Oklahoma St. I realize there's tons of more things to do in Houston than Mobile but as far as the town embracing the teams and fans, Mobile does it first class IMO. Not a slam at all against the city of Houston

This is something that can't be stated more. Sure, there are 20 million more things to do in Orlando than Little Rock, but will there be dedicated establishments that will cater to a specific team and capitalize off the fans in town, will there be major events designed to bring the public out and get them interested, will Orlando even notice they are hosting a bowl game.

This past year, There were three downtown Mobile restaurants attempting to call themselves the Official hangout location for Arkansas State fans. Many of them went and bought advertising on local radio and TV here just to get fans thinking about them when the time for the game came. Little Rock is talking about following a similar path.

Completely agree. Some folks equate all bowls, when in fact what is needed for a major bowl is different from what is needed for a relatively minor bowl. These bowls in smaller cities where the entire town gets involved can be tons of fun, and very appropriately sized for the bowl. Not everything needs to be Disney World magnitude. Scattering these bowls within reasonable driving distance works. I will drive 200-300 miles easy, to see USF in *any* bowl. That's what real fans with the means will do, and we all have enough of those good fans in our ranks. Even if these bowls are not sellouts, as we've already established they are really for TV anyway. We get that there is MORE to do in Orlando, etc, and that may draw down more folks to those destination-bowls, but you go to Little Rock or Austin for the GAME. All the side-fun is a bonus, and even these small cities have fun things to do. Even better if the city feels some ownership and pride in hosting the game!

Very well said Bull.

(04-09-2015 02:06 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 02:01 PM)usm99 Wrote:  FWIW and my opinion...when the Mobile bowl was created in 1999 it was considered a bad deal to get sent there. Being a USM fan I went down for several days when we played TCU there in the 2000. The city does roll out the red carpet and makes it all about the teams/fans. I also went to the 2002 Houston Bowl when USM played Oklahoma St. I realize there's tons of more things to do in Houston than Mobile but as far as the town embracing the teams and fans, Mobile does it first class IMO. Not a slam at all against the city of Houston

That's the point I was trying to make earlier. Theses bowls are a big deal in these smaller cities and the population can get really wrapped up in it. In big cities like Houston or Orlando, the cities may have more to offer, but the locals might barely notice the bowl is happening and the place isn't making a huge concerted effort to make you enjoy your stay.

If I'm in Orlando or Houston for a bowl, what do I care if the local bowl organizers even know I exist? I don't, because I can have a blast on my own just enjoying what their locales naturally have to offer.

In contrast, if I'm in Little Rock or Birmingham, what can those places do via a "concerted effort" to make me enjoy my stay? Not much. A pep rally in the middle of a dump of a downtown isn't going to make me not realize that there is no night life, no beaches, no natural scenery, no shopping for the wife, no amusement parks, no art/music/other sports, etc. in their towns, and that if I stay for a few days it will be thumb-twiddling my TV in the hotel room 90% of the time.

Just my take, FWIW.

Also, Bull actually mentioned "Little Rock and Austin" in the same breathe, as if they were both dump towns with nothing to do. Austin is a fantastic place to spend a few days, if you can't have fun there you have a serious problem. Totally unlike Little Rock, Birmingham, etc.

I'm glad we've added a bowl in Austin. That rocks.

(04-12-2015 12:52 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 02:06 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 02:01 PM)usm99 Wrote:  FWIW and my opinion...when the Mobile bowl was created in 1999 it was considered a bad deal to get sent there. Being a USM fan I went down for several days when we played TCU there in the 2000. The city does roll out the red carpet and makes it all about the teams/fans. I also went to the 2002 Houston Bowl when USM played Oklahoma St. I realize there's tons of more things to do in Houston than Mobile but as far as the town embracing the teams and fans, Mobile does it first class IMO. Not a slam at all against the city of Houston

That's the point I was trying to make earlier. Theses bowls are a big deal in these smaller cities and the population can get really wrapped up in it. In big cities like Houston or Orlando, the cities may have more to offer, but the locals might barely notice the bowl is happening and the place isn't making a huge concerted effort to make you enjoy your stay.

If I'm in Orlando or Houston for a bowl, what do I care if the local bowl organizers even know I exist? I don't, because I can have a blast on my own just enjoying what their locales naturally have to offer.

In contrast, if I'm in Little Rock or Birmingham, what can those places do via a "concerted effort" to make me enjoy my stay? Not much. A pep rally in the middle of a dump of a downtown isn't going to make me not realize that there is no night life, no beaches, no natural scenery, no shopping for the wife, no amusement parks, no art/music/other sports, etc. in their towns, and that if I stay for a few days it will be thumb-twiddling my TV in the hotel room 90% of the time.

Just my take, FWIW.

Also, Bull actually mentioned "Little Rock and Austin" in the same breathe, as if they were both dump towns with nothing to do. Austin is a fantastic place to spend a few days, if you can't have fun there you have a serious problem. Totally unlike Little Rock, Birmingham, etc.

I'm glad we've added a bowl in Austin. That rocks.

I think you might find that 10-20K of your schools fans crammed into a small downtown entertainment district can be pretty darned fun even if Disney isn't nearby. The key for the western schools is 20K are not traveling 1400 miles to play a mid-pack G5 finisher. Its just not going to happen. Once you accept that, then these smaller regional bowls can be accepted for what they are. More convenient locations that people ARE willing to travel to.

I think having a bowl in Austin will be a blast. Little Rock alone is one thing but you do have more options with Hot Springs just to the southwest

(04-12-2015 01:20 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-12-2015 12:52 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 02:06 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 02:01 PM)usm99 Wrote:  FWIW and my opinion...when the Mobile bowl was created in 1999 it was considered a bad deal to get sent there. Being a USM fan I went down for several days when we played TCU there in the 2000. The city does roll out the red carpet and makes it all about the teams/fans. I also went to the 2002 Houston Bowl when USM played Oklahoma St. I realize there's tons of more things to do in Houston than Mobile but as far as the town embracing the teams and fans, Mobile does it first class IMO. Not a slam at all against the city of Houston

That's the point I was trying to make earlier. Theses bowls are a big deal in these smaller cities and the population can get really wrapped up in it. In big cities like Houston or Orlando, the cities may have more to offer, but the locals might barely notice the bowl is happening and the place isn't making a huge concerted effort to make you enjoy your stay.

If I'm in Orlando or Houston for a bowl, what do I care if the local bowl organizers even know I exist? I don't, because I can have a blast on my own just enjoying what their locales naturally have to offer.

In contrast, if I'm in Little Rock or Birmingham, what can those places do via a "concerted effort" to make me enjoy my stay? Not much. A pep rally in the middle of a dump of a downtown isn't going to make me not realize that there is no night life, no beaches, no natural scenery, no shopping for the wife, no amusement parks, no art/music/other sports, etc. in their towns, and that if I stay for a few days it will be thumb-twiddling my TV in the hotel room 90% of the time.

Just my take, FWIW.

Also, Bull actually mentioned "Little Rock and Austin" in the same breathe, as if they were both dump towns with nothing to do. Austin is a fantastic place to spend a few days, if you can't have fun there you have a serious problem. Totally unlike Little Rock, Birmingham, etc.

I'm glad we've added a bowl in Austin. That rocks.

I think you might find that 10-20K of your schools fans crammed into a small downtown entertainment district can be pretty darned fun even if Disney isn't nearby. The key for the western schools is 20K are not traveling 1400 miles to play a mid-pack G5 finisher. Its just not going to happen. Once you accept that, then these smaller regional bowls can be accepted for what they are. More convenient locations that people ARE willing to travel to.

One and a half Texas bowls is enough for the three western schools. Instead of LR, there is a greater need for another northern bowl for the four or five northern schools.

(04-12-2015 06:48 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-12-2015 01:20 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-12-2015 12:52 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 02:06 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-09-2015 02:01 PM)usm99 Wrote:  FWIW and my opinion...when the Mobile bowl was created in 1999 it was considered a bad deal to get sent there. Being a USM fan I went down for several days when we played TCU there in the 2000. The city does roll out the red carpet and makes it all about the teams/fans. I also went to the 2002 Houston Bowl when USM played Oklahoma St. I realize there's tons of more things to do in Houston than Mobile but as far as the town embracing the teams and fans, Mobile does it first class IMO. Not a slam at all against the city of Houston

That's the point I was trying to make earlier. Theses bowls are a big deal in these smaller cities and the population can get really wrapped up in it. In big cities like Houston or Orlando, the cities may have more to offer, but the locals might barely notice the bowl is happening and the place isn't making a huge concerted effort to make you enjoy your stay.

If I'm in Orlando or Houston for a bowl, what do I care if the local bowl organizers even know I exist? I don't, because I can have a blast on my own just enjoying what their locales naturally have to offer.

In contrast, if I'm in Little Rock or Birmingham, what can those places do via a "concerted effort" to make me enjoy my stay? Not much. A pep rally in the middle of a dump of a downtown isn't going to make me not realize that there is no night life, no beaches, no natural scenery, no shopping for the wife, no amusement parks, no art/music/other sports, etc. in their towns, and that if I stay for a few days it will be thumb-twiddling my TV in the hotel room 90% of the time.

Just my take, FWIW.

Also, Bull actually mentioned "Little Rock and Austin" in the same breathe, as if they were both dump towns with nothing to do. Austin is a fantastic place to spend a few days, if you can't have fun there you have a serious problem. Totally unlike Little Rock, Birmingham, etc.

I'm glad we've added a bowl in Austin. That rocks.

I think you might find that 10-20K of your schools fans crammed into a small downtown entertainment district can be pretty darned fun even if Disney isn't nearby. The key for the western schools is 20K are not traveling 1400 miles to play a mid-pack G5 finisher. Its just not going to happen. Once you accept that, then these smaller regional bowls can be accepted for what they are. More convenient locations that people ARE willing to travel to.

One and a half Texas bowls is enough for the three western schools. Instead of LR, there is a greater need for another northern bowl for the four or five northern schools.

Actually its not. Based on the last 10 years, more often than not, 2 to 3 of those schools will be bowl eligible each year. And, I repeat again, there are no northern bowls open. If the northern schools want one a northern bowl so bad, they should work with Aresco and Hartford/Cinci/Philly to create one. If they are not doing so, then I guess we can conclude they don't see it as the same screaming need you seem to see. Maybe northern fans would rather travel somewhere warm and avoid driving to a random location up north just to play another cold outdoor game in the snow against a mid-pack G5.

(04-12-2015 04:18 PM)tigerjeb Wrote:  I think having a bowl in Austin will be a blast. Little Rock alone is one thing but you do have more options with Hot Springs just to the southwest

Thank you.

I mentioned Hot Springs at some point in this thread, but it got lost in the mob-puke all over Little Rock.