Bowl Education 101
11/27/2018 1:00:00 PM | Football
What you need to know about the bowl process
Going to a bowl game isn't guaranteed. Just ask Buffalo, who won enough games last year to qualify for a bowl but wasn't selected. Kansas hasn't been to a bowl since 2008. Texas State, UMass and Charlotte have never been to a bowl. Bowl games are a privilege for the players, staff and fans to enjoy and should be treated as such. Since this postseason bowl game process is still relatively new for the Georgia Southern Eagles, a lot of fans have questions and we're trying to answer as many as we can, but here are a few important things you should know as we try to educate you on the bowl process.
Myth: A school gets to choose what bowl it wants to play in.
Fact: This couldn't be further from the truth. While schools can express their preferences, it's really up to the bowls in conjunction with the conference. The College Football Playoff has the first opportunity to select the Sun Belt Champion for one of six bowls or CFP semifinals, and then the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 15) gets the league champion, followed by, in order, the Dollar General Bowl (Mobile, Ala.; Dec. 22), the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.; Dec. 15), the AutoNation Cure Bowl (Orlando, Fla.; Dec. 15), and finally the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl (Tucson, Ariz.; Dec. 29).
Bowls take a lot of factors into consideration when making their selection, chiefly the matchup and potential ticket sales. But in the end, the bowls make the choices and then the Sun Belt announces where the teams will be going and who they will be playing. Whichever bowl chooses Georgia Southern, we need YOU to be there, be loud and be proud to show that bowl it made the right choice!
Myth: A school receives the entire amount of the bowl's advertised payout.
Fact: Advertised bowl payouts are usually a combination of cash and tickets – very rarely would a bowl team receive 100 percent of the advertised payout. Within the Sun Belt Conference, the conference will collect the bowl payouts and use that money to reimburse all travel costs and purchase tickets if a bowl has a minimum number of tickets that need to be bought. The net difference is then added to the conference's end of year distribution that will go to all members, not just the teams who play in a bowl.
Myth: If I buy a ticket through the secondary market, it won't impact the school.
Fact: Again, not true. It's important to know that once accepting an invitation to a bowl game, a university is contractually bound to purchase a set amount of tickets to that game. We need every one of you to not only be there for the game but to buy through the Athletics Ticket Office (1-800-GSU-WINS or GSEagles.com/Bowl). Securing bowl tickets through Georgia Southern not only shows your support for Eagle Athletics but helps the Athletics Department remain fiscally sound for all 17 sports as the Department will have to pay for unsold tickets.
Myth: This is just like another game and I'll show up on game day.
Fact: While it's just a game at the end of the day, a bowl game is a multi-day celebration. They're a celebration of a body of work put forth throughout the season by the team for four long months of sweat and hard work. That celebration lasts all week as most bowls have events for the team and fans during the week, culminating with a pep rally and party before the game. Plan on getting there several days before the game to enjoy the sights and sound of the host city and the bowl events.
Myth: A bowl doesn't help a team in the long run
Fact: There are several reasons a bowl game is good for a program. First off, it gives the team extra practices. While part of the bowl prep is used on the upcoming opponent, it also gives the younger players who are the future of the program more opportunities to get ready for next spring. A bowl game is also huge in terms of recruiting. When coaches walk into the high school with that bowl ring on, it gives them instant credibility on the recruiting trail. These are just two benefits of going to a bowl and there and many more. In short, a bowl is not a good thing, it's a great thing!
We've also set up a FAQ section on our bowl central if you have any other questions that might pop up. Check it out at GSEagles.com.
The bowls will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 2 in the afternoon or early evening. Once Georgia Southern knows its bowl destination and it can be announced, we'll have plenty of information on where to stay, what to do and how to be a part of history. Don't miss out on this special event and Go Eagles!
Myth: A school gets to choose what bowl it wants to play in.
Fact: This couldn't be further from the truth. While schools can express their preferences, it's really up to the bowls in conjunction with the conference. The College Football Playoff has the first opportunity to select the Sun Belt Champion for one of six bowls or CFP semifinals, and then the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 15) gets the league champion, followed by, in order, the Dollar General Bowl (Mobile, Ala.; Dec. 22), the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.; Dec. 15), the AutoNation Cure Bowl (Orlando, Fla.; Dec. 15), and finally the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl (Tucson, Ariz.; Dec. 29).
Bowls take a lot of factors into consideration when making their selection, chiefly the matchup and potential ticket sales. But in the end, the bowls make the choices and then the Sun Belt announces where the teams will be going and who they will be playing. Whichever bowl chooses Georgia Southern, we need YOU to be there, be loud and be proud to show that bowl it made the right choice!
Myth: A school receives the entire amount of the bowl's advertised payout.
Fact: Advertised bowl payouts are usually a combination of cash and tickets – very rarely would a bowl team receive 100 percent of the advertised payout. Within the Sun Belt Conference, the conference will collect the bowl payouts and use that money to reimburse all travel costs and purchase tickets if a bowl has a minimum number of tickets that need to be bought. The net difference is then added to the conference's end of year distribution that will go to all members, not just the teams who play in a bowl.
Myth: If I buy a ticket through the secondary market, it won't impact the school.
Fact: Again, not true. It's important to know that once accepting an invitation to a bowl game, a university is contractually bound to purchase a set amount of tickets to that game. We need every one of you to not only be there for the game but to buy through the Athletics Ticket Office (1-800-GSU-WINS or GSEagles.com/Bowl). Securing bowl tickets through Georgia Southern not only shows your support for Eagle Athletics but helps the Athletics Department remain fiscally sound for all 17 sports as the Department will have to pay for unsold tickets.
Myth: This is just like another game and I'll show up on game day.
Fact: While it's just a game at the end of the day, a bowl game is a multi-day celebration. They're a celebration of a body of work put forth throughout the season by the team for four long months of sweat and hard work. That celebration lasts all week as most bowls have events for the team and fans during the week, culminating with a pep rally and party before the game. Plan on getting there several days before the game to enjoy the sights and sound of the host city and the bowl events.
Myth: A bowl doesn't help a team in the long run
Fact: There are several reasons a bowl game is good for a program. First off, it gives the team extra practices. While part of the bowl prep is used on the upcoming opponent, it also gives the younger players who are the future of the program more opportunities to get ready for next spring. A bowl game is also huge in terms of recruiting. When coaches walk into the high school with that bowl ring on, it gives them instant credibility on the recruiting trail. These are just two benefits of going to a bowl and there and many more. In short, a bowl is not a good thing, it's a great thing!
We've also set up a FAQ section on our bowl central if you have any other questions that might pop up. Check it out at GSEagles.com.
The bowls will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 2 in the afternoon or early evening. Once Georgia Southern knows its bowl destination and it can be announced, we'll have plenty of information on where to stay, what to do and how to be a part of history. Don't miss out on this special event and Go Eagles!
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