STATESBORO, Ga. – The Georgia Southern Eagles are bowl eligible for the second time in program history and the Georgia Southern Athletics Department is now taking ticket applications to this year's potential bowl games.
Since this is still a relatively new process for the program and its fans, here are some FAQs the department is getting, and the answers to those questions.
Q: What bowl are the Eagles going to?
A: We don't know yet. The Sun Belt Conference will announce the bowl selections and matchups on Sunday, Dec. 2. Be sure to follow Georgia Southern's social media platforms and GSEagles.com for the first word.
Q: Is it a guarantee the Eagles are going bowling?
A: The Sun Belt has contractual ties with five postseason bowl games. Currently, six SBC teams are bowl eligible (Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Louisiana, Troy and ULM). Coastal Carolina (at USA) could also become bowl eligible with one more win. Since there are more eligible teams from the conference than slots, being bowl eligible does not guarantee a postseason bid. There are 39 bowls, meaning 78 slots nationally. If there are not 78 bowl eligible teams (there are 70 this week with 21 more within one more of the required six wins), an SBC could fill an open spot, but if all slots are filled, some team(s) will get left out. Purchase tickets through GS to make us a strong candidate for a bowl! GSEagles.com/Bowl
Q: When can I order my tickets?
A: All Eagle fans may now submit their pre-orders for bowl games. You can go to our bowl ticket page to place your requests at GSEagles.com/Bowl.
Q: Why should I buy through Georgia Southern when it looks like I might be able to get better seats through the secondary market?
A: That one's easy: it helps Georgia Southern to buy through us! We know you can choose to purchase tickets from other vendors, but tickets purchased through Georgia Southern directly benefit the athletics department and the student-athletes we serve, and they allow us to be better positioned for future bowls. It also increases our chances of a bowl selecting us if we can show them the impact our fan base will have on their game and local economy. We appreciate your consideration as you make your bowl ticket purchase.
Also, for each bowl ticket purchased through Georgia Southern, 1.5 priority points will be applied to the patron's Eagle Fund membership with the Athletic Foundation. Once accepting an invitation to a bowl game, a university is contractually bound to purchase a set amount of tickets to that game and must pay for unsold tickets. Help us remain fiscally sound by purchasing through the Georgia Southern Athletics Ticket Office!
Q: I don't donate or hold season tickets, when can I order my tickets?
A: All Eagle fans may now submit their pre-orders for bowl games. You can go to our bowl ticket page to place your requests. Season ticket holders and donors just have to be sure that they submit their request by the Dec. 5 deadline for their seats to be allocated by priority points.
Q: If I can't make it to the bowl game, how can I still support the program?
A: If you know you cannot attend the bowl, you can continue to support the football program while helping other charitable organizations by purchasing and donating tickets through our Wings program. Because of Eagle Nation, Wings has donated over 2,000 tickets to veterans, underserved youth and charitable organizations since starting the program in fall 2015. Donating tickets to the bowl game will be available once the bowl game has been announced and is an available option at checkout.
Q: What bowl is most likely so I can start planning my trip?
A: We wish we could tell you, but it's most likely that the Eagles if selected, will go to one of the five bowls tied into the Sun Belt Conference (New Orleans, Cure, Camellia, GoDaddy, Arizona). You can find the dates and information on them here. With the champion of the league now going to New Orleans, you can mark that one off.
Q: Does Georgia Southern's record impact which of the Sun Belt bowls it could go to?
A: No. The New Orleans Bowl will take the conference champion, but after that, there are no criteria for bowls in terms of selecting which SBC team it wants … it's all about match-ups and potential ticket sales/enthusiasm/effect on the local economy. The record of the team does not dictate which slot it can be chosen in.
Q: If I select a bowl and Georgia Southern doesn't go there, will I still get tickets to that game through Georgia Southern?
A: No. If you put down that you want two tickets to every bowl out there, you will only get the two tickets for the bowl game Georgia Southern is chosen for, if selected.
Q: If I select a bowl and Georgia Southern doesn't go there, will my credit card be charged for those tickets?
A: Nope! Same as the above question ... you will only be charged for the bowl GS is chosen for and for the number of tickets you requested for that game. Credit cards on file will be charged on Monday, Dec. 3 for the bowl, so make sure you have the card you want to be charged on file when you submit your order.
Q: What if I'm not sure and can't commit to pre-ordering tickets to a bowl?
A: While pre-ordering helps us pitch to bowls approximately how many tickets we've sold, it's not required for you to pre-order. However, if you want your seats to be allocated by priority points, pre-ordering is the best route. We get it, you may not be able to commit to pre-ordering and need to wait until the bowl game is announced. That's why we'll make tickets available, if any are left, on sale to everyone on Monday, Dec. 3 at 8:30 a.m. Remember, all tickets will be allocated and assigned via priority points.
Q: How much are tickets?
A: That depends on the bowl. Each bowl sets the prices and the Athletics Ticket Office will sell them for that price. We tried to put everything on our bowl page, including prices, hotels and events. Remember, buying through the school helps the athletic department! Whatever we don't sell, we have to eat the cost on.
Q: What happens if I submit a ticket pre-order and then can't make the game?
A: Once the Ticket Office receives a request, the sale is final; no refunds or exchanges. Credit cards will automatically be charged for the bowl game Eagle Football is invited to attend. All other bowl game ticket requests will be voided.
Q: What if I do not know if I already have an account with the Athletic Ticket Office?
A: To ensure you get priority seating based on your priority points, be sure to log into your existing account. If you have donated or purchased tickets through the Ticket Office in the past, you should already have an existing account. If you have issues getting into your existing account, please email Tickets@GeorgiaSouthern.edu so we can make sure you have linked and activated your online account. Creating a duplicate account will result in your tickets not be allocated by your priority points. If you know that you do not already have an account, you will just create a new account when placing your order.
Q: Can I only submit my ticket order online?
A: While the online process is usually the easiest and best way to make sure your request is correct, you may also request your order over the phone by calling the ticket office at 1(800) GSU-WINS or you can download and mail in a paper form HERE. As a reminder, paper forms must be received by 5 p.m. on Dec. 5 for tickets to be allocated by priority points.
Q: I'm a student who wants to go to a game. What do I do?
A: The Athletics Department certainly values the student body and recognizes the impact students make at Paulson Stadium. We are working on a student ticket announcement and will release that after we know which bowl we are selected for.
Q: It's a short turnaround from the bowl announcement to the game. When will I get my tickets?
A: You will have three options once we receive and allocate the tickets: 1) pick them up at the Athletics Ticket Office on Cowart Drive during business hours; 2) pick them up at will call on game day at the stadium; 3) have them shipped via UPS. (UPS can not ship to a PO Box and please be sure your shipping address on your account is correct when placing your order.)
Q: I want to sit with a friend at the bowl, how can we do that?
A: If you're an Eagle Fund contributor and want to sit with someone else, you must BOTH note that in the pre-order process. Please note that the average of the two rankings will be used to determine the priority ranking when it comes to seat allocation.
Q: Will there be a fan bus trip for the bowl game?
A: The location and date of the bowl game will play a large factor in that decision. We are currently looking into all options and will make any announcements if we are able to do this.
Q: What events are going on at the bowl?
A: Each bowl has different events for the fans in attendance. We'd recommend getting into town a few days before the game and enjoying/exploring the town. You can find an initial list of events on our bowl page.
Q: Will there be a True Blue Tailgate at the bowl game?
A: Yes. You can currently pre-order tickets to the True Blue Tailgate for the bowl game. This tailgate is a University-wide event, hosted by the Alumni Association, Athletic Foundation and the Parker College of Business. Ticket prices may increase once the bowl game is announced, so lock-in tailgate tickets today at GSEagles.com/Bowl.
Q: What hotel should I stay at?
A: Each bowl has a team hotel, as well as other recommendations for around the area. You can find those recommendations on our bowl page.
Important Dates:
Monday, Nov. 12 - Bowl ticket applications begin
Sunday, Dec. 2 - Bowl announcement
Monday, Dec. 3 - All pre-orders will be processed and credit cards charged for the selected bowl game; Bowl tickets to the specific GS bowl go on sale to the general public
Wednesday, Dec. 5 - Deadline for priority seat allocation for the 2018 bowl game at 11:59 p.m. (ET).
Thursday, Dec. 6 - Ordered tickets allocated and assigned via priority points calculated as of 8 a.m. (ET); orders past this deadline allocated and assigned in the order they are received
