Are Bowl Games Good Business? (Opinion)

Large dollar figures are thrown about when discussing collegiate bowl games. That’s understandable with $17 million going to each of the participants in the BCS National Championship Game. For many universities, however, participating in a bowl game is not the financial windfall that it’s perceived to be.

Going to a bowl game is expensive, very expensive. Everyone today is aware of the high cost of travel, but can many imagine planning travel, hotel lodging and meals for an entire college football team, cheerleading squad, band and the full ensemble of support staff? And during the holiday season no less?

What many don’t know about bowl game participation and the financial agreement between school and bowl are the ticket allotments each school is responsible for. A significant portion of a school’s bowl revenue is derived from its ability to sell the tickets allocated; a university that does not sell its entire allotment must assume that cost, which cuts into the revenue generated from bowl participation.

With allocations that can hover about 10,000 tickets and with price tags of $40 per ticket or more, those numbers can add up – and those numbers are for lower tier bowls.

Fortunately, the NCAA and the bowl committees have acknowledged the rising cost for schools participating in bowl games and have taken measures to help ensure that bowl experiences are profitable for participating schools. Among the steps taken: lowering the ticket allocations, deferring cost through sponsor involvement and trying to consider geography when selecting bowl participants.

Participating schools have also taken steps, some quite creative, to ensure their bowl experiences are beneficial. After all, schools participate by choice and know the responsibilities in doing so.

Behind the financial reward directly received from bowl game participation is the indirect – and intangible – benefit that playing in a bowl game provides. Playing a bowl provides prestige and a national platform for a school to display its athletic program and to tout its educational offerings. Bowl games provide positive impressions that resonate with the alumni, fan clubs, student base and local communities, and those directly affect donations, enrollment and perception of the school.

The hidden value of bowl game participation is in simply being a participant, being an eligible program selected to join the bowl game party and not at home watching on television. 

Alan Turner, who has 10 years of experience in marketing, advertising and sponsorship marketing, recently established Turner Sponsorship Consultants. He represents corporations in their sports, entertainment and cause marketing efforts.