Gator Bowl in Trouble

[TexanMark]

Gene Frenette: Gator Bowl needs more than Jaguars' help to survive

 

[DomeStranger]

Does it kind of sound like the article is trying to explain why someone would earn $175,000 - $350,000 a year to organize 1 football game a year?

Either way, I'm in the wrong business ... going to hit up indeed to see if any bowls are hiring.

 

[CA Monk]

Does it kind of sound like the article is trying to explain why someone would earn $175,000 - $350,000 a year to organize 1 football game a year?

Either way, I'm in the wrong business ... going to hit up indeed to see if any bowls are hiring.

Yes it does. However, similarly to charities, “organizers” are paid for whom they know and their ability to generate sponsors/donations. Yeah, kind of a racket.
In heaven this is all different.

 

[FloridaFan]

Speaking as a person who lives where the gator bowl is, part of the problem is there are no interesting matchups. No one here cares about TAMU and NCST. That’s why they had more out of town revenue then in town. They also need to market the game better and not the after game activities.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

Speaking as a person who lives where the gator bowl is, part of the problem is there are no interesting matchups. No one here cares about TAMU and NCST. That’s why they had more out of town revenue then in town. They also need to market the game better and not the after game activities.

How are you going to get a more interesting match-up then that? SEC vs. ACC. I don't imagine there is a "hometown team" in Jacksonville, so how do you anticipate doing better? Every year you have a pretty substantial chance of pulling teams that travel well and are in fairly close proximity. what more could a bowl game want?

 

[FloridaFan]

How are you going to get a more interesting match-up then that? SEC vs. ACC. I don't imagine there is a "hometown team" in Jacksonville, so how do you anticipate doing better? Every year you have a pretty substantial chance of pulling teams that travel well and are in fairly close proximity. what more could a bowl game want?

Hometown teams here are Florida, FSU and Georgia really. Last years issue was they barely marketed the matchup at all so most casual people didnt even know who was playing.

 

[kirbivore]

After they screwed over SU in 2001, I hope the Gator Bowl crashes and burns.

 

[OrangeDW]

After the show we put on in 1995, they should’ve never snubbed us!

Picking VT over SU in 2001 after we finished two games ahead of them in the league and beat them head to head on their home field, was one of the all time great sports injustices.

 

[sutomcat]

Gene Frenette: Gator Bowl needs more than Jaguars' help to survive

The Gator paid $3.1 million per team a couple of months ago. It paid $5.45 million in 2012. It has fallen behind the payouts for the Pinstripe, Belk, Camping World and even the Sun Bowl.

They were fortunate to get as good a matchup as they did in 2018. They were once one of the best bowls and I think the only things keeping them relevant are their reputation and location (Florida, even Northern Florida, is a lot more attractive than Tennessee, North Carolina or points even further north).

I hope they get a good sponsor and keep this bowl going. The ACC needs bowls in Florida. One of their top priorities for the next round of bowl negotiations has to be capturing one of the top slots in either Tampa or Orlando, preferably both. The skanky, irrelevant B1G needs to be relegated to bowls in Indiana and Michigan; areas more appropriate for the skill level of their crappy programs. Same applies to th B12.

 

[DomeStranger]

This Rick Catlett is an interesting fellow. He's "worked" for the Gator Bowl for 26 years and apparently that's all he does.

He linkedin shows he went to FSU for 3 years, yet his bio states his favorite team is the Florida Gators.

 

[Hokie Mark]

Speaking as a person who lives where the gator bowl is, part of the problem is there are no interesting matchups. No one here cares about TAMU and NCST. That’s why they had more out of town revenue then in town. They also need to market the game better and not the after game activities.

The REAL determining factor, IMO, is this:
Gator Bowl attendance when played on New Year's Day: 64,785*
attendance when played BEFORE New Year's Day: 40,873
difference due to the date: 23,912
That effect is HUGE!

* includes a 15-year stretch when it was ACC vs. either Big East or Big XII - no SEC or Big Ten in sight! Meanwhile, all of the recent pre-New Year's Day games have been ACC-vs-SEC affairs.

 

[B Pack]

^^ HokieMark's attendance info is good to note.
Been to a few Gator Bowls through the years and also to the TAMU-NCST most recently. Interest was certainly down. Not surprised they had more out of town revenue, it was evident at the game. Not a large crowd, but everyone there seemed to be in maroon or red. Not much in the way of neutrals. Granted, it may not have been the most attractive match-up for some folks ( certainly not an attractive game for the Wolfpack) , but there were plenty of locals we spoke with while in Jax that didn't like the game being played 8pm on NYE.
The Gator does have a lot of tradition, the stadium is a good venue and as some SU posters mentioned, it's nice to have bowl games in Florida. Hope they can get stronger.
It will help at least w/ ticket sales if they can soon land FSU, UF, Tenn, UGa, ND - some heavy hitters.

 

[Hoo's That]

This Rick Catlett is an interesting fellow. He's "worked" for the Gator Bowl for 26 years and apparently that's all he does.

He linkedin shows he went to FSU for 3 years, yet his bio states his favorite team is the Florida Gators.

IIRC, Catlett used to work for Raycom. In my mind, I can hear Jim Thacker acknowledging him at the end of many a b-ball broadcast.

 

[Briancuse]

Good I'm still peeved about 2001.

 

[Moontan]

I attended the most recent Florida-Georgia game. Great venue for tailgating, etc.. Followed the game up with a visit to Savannah. Also a worthy visit, as cuseguy & subarney will attest to.

I'm game for any Syracuse bowl game in the southeast (I hit the Camping World Bowl and Peach Bowl on consecutive days this past December).