New Bowl Game in Little Rock

[Seminole Indian]

Per Jonesboro Sun.

Matching an AAC and SBC team, in early December, starting in 2015 or 2016.

5th tie in for SBC. Nice!

[twistitup]

Let's start some name ideas for this bowl.

I'll start:

The Rock in the Punch Bowl

[Seminole Indian]

Rice Bowl.

[Hogfaniam]

It must be the "Who Gives A $nit Bowl" cause any reference to it was about 4 pages deep in Google behind a pay wall to the Jonesboro Sun.  Really?

[Dropkick]

nm

[Hogfaniam]

What is AAC and SBC?

American Athletic and Sun Belt

[holeinthewall]

Nothing says Christmas like being sent to Little Rock for a bowl game. Possibly the worst destination of all the bowl games.

[Dr. Starcs]

The Clock Malfunction Bowl

[GolfNut57]

Nothing says Christmas like being sent to Little Rock for a bowl game. Possibly the worst destination of all the bowl games.

Well it isn't like Montgomery is that better an option as a destination. Little Rock has just as much entertainment value downtown as the City of Montgomery does, imo. And I am sure there are other bowl sites that leave much to be desired for that matter.

[Inhogswetrust]

Well it isn't like Montgomery is that better an option as a destination. Little Rock has just as much entertainment value downtown as the City of Montgomery does, imo. And I am sure there are other bowl sites that leave much to be desired for that matter.

There are way too many bowls. LR is nicer than Montgomery but that doesn't make WMS a viable venue for a good bowl. I agree there are some other venues or cities that are not good as well. They are not highly regarded bowls either. That being said IF LR can make a go of it as those have done then good for them.

[twistitup]

Petit Jean Backfat Bowl

Mmmmmmm

[Hogfaniam]

*Get the bowl game date to coincide with the Dixie Belle running at Oaklawn.  Should be  Fri. Jan 8.  This would be the Friday before the CFB championship game.  Come in Thursday, go to the horserace Friday and play all day in Hot Springs, tailgate and go to the football game Saturday afternoon, play DT LR Saturday night, leave Sunday.

* Between Dickey Stephens and Verizon, build a new stadium of 30k to 40k. Make it expandable, if by some miracle it needs to be, kind of like U of Houstons new stadium, where you can see DT LR.

*Take the new WMS press box and some of the west stands supporting it and make an amphitheater for concerts. Tie it in with the Zoo.  The suites can be used for events.  Make the press area the War Memorial to The Vets along with the underside of the west stands.  Make it nice.  Expand the zoo into WMS parking.

*Start a football program at UALR.

*Try to get a start of the  season kickoff game between 2 conferences to bookend the season with a bowl game at the end.

[Kicking Wing]

There are not enough bowls actually.  The majority of the bowls only matter to the cities that host them and the fans of the programs involved.  If there are eligible teams needing a spot and cities that want to fill hotels and restaurants then there is a need for bowls. 

Little Rock needs the Taekwondo National Tournament and things like the SEC WBB tournament.  A bowl game will draw more tourist than either of those events in most cases.  A bowl featuring Arkansas State or ULL vs. Memphis, SMU or Tulsa in LR will put 35-40K in LR for a few days easily and that is a huge economic impact.  If it is New Mexico State vs. Tulane or Temple... not so much.

[trippigs]

*Get the bowl game date to coincide with the Dixie Belle running at Oaklawn.  Should be  Fri. Jan 8.  This would be the Friday before the CFB championship game.  Come in Thursday, go to the horserace Friday and play all day in Hot Springs, tailgate and go to the football game Saturday afternoon, play DT LR Saturday night, leave Sunday.

* Between Dickey Stephens and Verizon, build a new stadium of 30k to 40k. Make it expandable, if by some miracle it needs to be, kind of like U of Houstons new stadium, where you can see DT LR.

*Take the new WMS press box and some of the west stands supporting it and make an amphitheater for concerts. Tie it in with the Zoo.  The suites can be used for events.  Make the press area the War Memorial to The Vets along with the underside of the west stands.  Make it nice.  Expand the zoo into WMS parking.

*Start a football program at UALR.

*Try to get a start of the  season kickoff game between 2 conferences to bookend the season with a bowl game at the end.

Good for you to offer solutions instead of negatives.....reads like a master plan to work toward.

[ricepig]

There are not enough bowls actually.  The majority of the bowls only matter to the cities that host them and the fans of the programs involved.  If there are eligible teams needing a spot and cities that want to fill hotels and restaurants then there is a need for bowls. 

Little Rock needs the Taekwondo National Tournament and things like the SEC WBB tournament.  A bowl game will draw more tourist than either of those events in most cases.  A bowl featuring Arkansas State or ULL vs. Memphis, SMU or Tulsa in LR will put 35-40K in LR for a few days easily and that is a huge economic impact.  If it is New Mexico State vs. Tulane or Temple... not so much.

I disagree on ULL drawing that much in LR, no matter the opponent, ASU probably would draw 35,000 against Memphis or SMU.

[Tripod1]

Its a great idea and good for the economy of LR.  We all understand the stadium is not up to par but come on folks why do we have to be all negative about LR?

[Kicking Wing]

I disagree on ULL drawing that much in LR, no matter the opponent, ASU probably would draw 35,000 against Memphis or SMU.

Compare to most of the attendance you see for bowls in the Bahamas, Miami, Boise, etc., ULL vs a regional AAC opponent would draw well in LR.

[Inhogswetrust]

There are not enough bowls actually.  The majority of the bowls only matter to the cities that host them and the fans of the programs involved.  If there are eligible teams needing a spot and cities that want to fill hotels and restaurants then there is a need for bowls. 

Little Rock needs the Taekwondo National Tournament and things like the SEC WBB tournament.  A bowl game will draw more tourist than either of those events in most cases.  A bowl featuring Arkansas State or ULL vs. Memphis, SMU or Tulsa in LR will put 35-40K in LR for a few days easily and that is a huge economic impact.  If it is New Mexico State vs. Tulane or Temple... not so much.

Bull. I've had to deal with bowls and their economic impact being in the hotel business for years. They are NOT the "huge" economic impact you think they are for anything but the larger bowls. It is more like a "small" economic impact usually. Those teams you mention would NOT bring as many people as you think and they would not all stay several days and nights. Hotels EXCEPT in tourist destinations and towns do not fill up with tourists. They are usually filled with business people. Those business people are subsidizing cities vie "bed taxes" or "tourist taxes" for cities to market themselves. They also sometimes have to pay extra taxes in restaurants. They should not have to do that.

[Inhogswetrust]

Compare to most of the attendance you see for bowls in the Bahamas, Miami, Boise, etc., ULL vs a regional AAC opponent would draw well in LR.

No it wouldn't.

[twistitup]

Compare to most of the attendance you see for bowls in the Bahamas, Miami, Boise, etc., ULL vs a regional AAC opponent would draw well in LR.

First time I've heard LR compared to the Bahamas or Miami....congrats

[Inhogswetrust]

A bowl would bring in more people than you receive otherwise, so even a small bowl is a net positive in that industry.   

That depends on what else the taxes are used for that are dedicated to those type of events and tourism. Don't forget there are also costs to do it involved. Guess who pays a part of that cost? Local taxpayers and people staying in hotels and eating in restaurants that are NOT there for a bowl game in part. Let me say I've had fans including bands stay in my hotels during bowl games quite a few times. Does it help the industry? Of course BUT others help foot the bill that could care less about a game. I assure you it is not the great windfall revenue wise for hotels you might think other than the ones the teams stay pin for several days. It is barely a blip on the budgeting process for them. A very small margin increase in and of itself.

[Inhogswetrust]

First time I've heard LR compared to the Bahamas or Miami....congrats

Haha! With global warming I'm sure we will have Palm trees in LR in about 100 years!.........

[PEtrader]

Petit Jean Backfat Bowl

Mmmmmmm

Lol

[DLUXHOG]

Hillbilly Bowl.... (would coincide with media perception...)

[chiefsfan]

If Boise and Montgomery can host a bowl, so can Little Rock.

Though I do agree there are far too many bowls. 

[pigture perfect]

The Chicken and Rice bowl.

[GolfNut57]

If Boise and Montgomery can host a bowl, so can Little Rock.

Though I do agree there are far too many bowls.

Having too many bowls now is the reason teams get in with a mediocre 6-6 record.

[Hogfaniam]

If Boise and Montgomery can host a bowl, so can Little Rock.

Though I do agree there are far too many bowls. 

Too much football?  Impossibru!

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Nothing says Christmas like being sent to Little Rock for a bowl game. Possibly the worst destination of all the bowl games.

There are quite a few places that are worse than Little Rock.

[twistitup]

The Chicken and Rice bowl.

Duck and Rice

Chicken would be if the game was played in NWA -

[hawgbawb]

Nothing says Christmas like being sent to Little Rock for a bowl game. Possibly the worst destination of all the bowl games.

Better than Shreveport

[Boardon Hamsay]

The GSD Bowl

[1 hog n eldo]

Better than Shreveport

I went to the Independence Bowl to watch Miami and South Carolina, this past December. I would say the stadiums are about the same. But as far as the city goes Little Rock is a nicer place to go. The second half of the independence bowl half of the replay screen blacked out. But they kept playing ads for Uncle Si Sweet tea. U just couldn't see the ol duck hunter

[Torqued pork]

A bowl game for everybody.
No program left behind.

[Inhogswetrust]

A bowl game for everybody.
No program left behind.

Don't forget Statues for everyone!

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Duck and Rice

Chicken would be if the game was played in NWA -

Plenty of chickens in central Arkansas too.

[Kicking Wing]

First time I've heard LR compared to the Bahamas or Miami....congrats

Yes, because that is what I was doing, comparing the cities and not the potential attendance.  Did you see the crowds in the Bahamas or Miami for their bowl games this year?

[Kicking Wing]

No it wouldn't.

Guarantee it will.

[Kicking Wing]

That depends on what else the taxes are used for that are dedicated to those type of events and tourism. Don't forget there are also costs to do it involved. Guess who pays a part of that cost? Local taxpayers and people staying in hotels and eating in restaurants that are NOT there for a bowl game in part. Let me say I've had fans including bands stay in my hotels during bowl games quite a few times. Does it help the industry? Of course BUT others help foot the bill that could care less about a game. I assure you it is not the great windfall revenue wise for hotels you might think other than the ones the teams stay pin for several days. It is barely a blip on the budgeting process for them. A very small margin increase in and of itself.

That is not true.  The restaurants and hotels in Mobile do way more than their normal amount of business when ASU goes down there.  Those people LOVE having a bowl game in town.

[Kicking Wing]

http://blog.al.com/live/2012/12/godaddycom_bowl_economic_impac.html

I would suspect that LR would expect to see a similar amount of revenue.  More if it were Memphis, Tulsa or SMU vs. ASU but less if it ends up East Carolina vs. Texas State.

[Seminole Indian]

That is not true.  The restaurants and hotels in Mobile do way more than their normal amount of business when ASU goes down there.  Those people LOVE having a bowl game in town.

Getting the game would be a big plus for LR, especially is it involved a Conference with an Arkansas FBS team.

That A-State has its program to where it is bowl eligible almost every year, and their fans travel well is a plus.

No doubt a  bowl game involving A-State, and any AAC,(especially the AAC teams in states adjacent to Arkansas) would attract a significant number of  people of LR.

[Inhogswetrust]

Guarantee it will.

Then put your money where your guarantee is..............................

[Inhogswetrust]

That is not true.  The restaurants and hotels in Mobile do way more than their normal amount of business when ASU goes down there.  Those people LOVE having a bowl game in town.

Sure they do. They also know who actually and mostly PAYS for them to have that small windfall. It is their customers throughout the rest of the year. I never said some restaurants and hotels don't like having bowl games. I've managed hotels in a few bowl cities that got business from them, especially the Liberty Bowl which I worked with directly as a hotel representative. However to think it is a "big" or "huge" windfall for smaller bowls and the overall yearly economy for the area where they are played is false. Does it provide SOME extra economic benefit yes, is it a large amount no. That also holds true of some conventions as well. As an example the COGIC convention was held during a slower time of year in Memphis every year. I've been to several meetings over the years with representatives from COGIC, the CVB, the city and hotels and restaurants. COGIC every year kept wanting to "extort" for a lack of a better word more and more from the city, hotels and restaurants. Finally we said no more. They then started to go to other places starting with St. Louis. The people that subsidize these type of things, sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly, are hotel guests and restaurant customers throughout the rest of the year. That is primarily business travelers and local folks eating in restaurants. Also corporate sponsorship plays a big role as well. Without those factors a LOT of smaller bowls would not exist. 

[Seminole Indian]

Thanks for that insight.

One thing is for sure there is something hat makes these bowl games attractive.......... a least on the front end.

[Inhogswetrust]

Thanks for that insight.

One thing is for sure there is something hat makes these bowl games attractive.......... a least on the front end.

Have you ever heard of a bowl game surviving in todays world and it NOT to be televised on some sort of TV network? Except for the big bowls it is ability of the TV media to fill time at a good price and make a good profit. Also the ability for a city to get something for nothing since someone else pays for it mostly. I don't blame the cities for doing so, it is free advertising almost!

On another thought in this discussion the majority of hotels and restaurants in a metro area don't care about bowls and even some conventions unless really big. Why? The reason is MOST in an area do not get enough marginal business from them to warrant the rest of their customers paying extra taxes.
I assure you IF even the best case scenario was to happen and WMS was full for a bowl game most hotels and restaurants would see no additional income from it or at most a negligible amount that wouldn't even be considered in budgeting for them. The reason is the sheer number of hotels and restaurants throughout the metro area. Hospitality businesses in Conway, Jacksonville, Benton, Bryant and other suburbs for example might not have ANYONE there for the bowl use their business. Gas stations and some fast food places in those cities that would possibly get SOME small amount of business. That being said LR would obviously gain the most with NLR getting a fair share as well. With bowls and conventions people want to stay as close to the facility and/or team or "tourist" area of the city as possible. I do commend CVB's and cities for trying to generate ANY extra business overall but it usually effects a small part of the hospitality business. Have you ever wondered why hotel companies want to have cites and government help fund convention centers and "entertainment" areas and even subsidize hotels in different ways. There are reason$......   

[Seminole Indian]

Have you ever heard of a bowl game surviving in todays world and it NOT to be televised on some sort of TV network? Except for the big bowls it is ability of the TV media to fill time at a good price and make a good profit. Also the ability for a city to get something for nothing since someone else pays for it mostly. I don't blame the cities for doing so, it is free advertising almost!

On another thought in this discussion the majority of hotels and restaurants in a metro area don't care about bowls and even some conventions unless really big. Why? The reason is MOST in an area do not get enough marginal business from them to warrant the rest of their customers paying extra taxes.
I assure you IF even the best case scenario was to happen and WMS was full for a bowl game most hotels and restaurants would see no additional income from it or at most a negligible amount that wouldn't even be considered in budgeting for them. The reason is the sheer number of hotels and restaurants throughout the metro area. Hospitality businesses in Conway, Jacksonville, Benton, Bryant and other suburbs for example might not have ANYONE there for the bowl use their business. Gas stations and some fast food places in those cities that would possibly get SOME small amount of business. That being said LR would obviously gain the most with NLR getting a fair share as well. With bowls and conventions people want to stay as close to the facility and/or team or "tourist" area of the city as possible. I do commend CVB's and cities for trying to generate ANY extra business overall but it usually effects a small part of the hospitality business. Have you ever wondered why hotel companies want to have cites and government help fund convention centers and "entertainment" areas and even subsidize hotels in different ways. There are reason$......

I'm probably like most people and have not given much thought to the points you bring up, other than assuming that a game like this would have a positive effect on the local economy, or why else would they want it. Even if it were just cheap or free adverting I assumed they expected long term tangible benefits.

Did know that most schools that send teams to these bowls don't make much, if any money, but it does have a very positive impact on their fans, recruits and supporters, which does effect their bottom line in tangible ways.   

[HSVhogfan2]

The "get hammered on the golf course, take your shirt off, and drop F Bombs at everyone that walks by Bowl".

[Inhogswetrust]

I'm probably like most people and have not given much thought to the points you bring up, other than assuming that a game like this would have a positive effect on the local economy, or why else would they want it. Even if it were just cheap or free adverting I assumed they expected long term tangible benefits.

Did know that most schools that send teams to these bowls don't make much, if any money, but it does have a very positive impact on their fans, recruits and supporters, which does effect their bottom line in tangible ways.   

Benefits are not long term unless it winds up being a bigger bowl and never is cancelled. Benifits are smaller than most think and don't carry over a long time. I think there are better ways for cities to get a better economic benefit. However that being said having a bowl game is a nice little thing to have. Just don't kid yourself about a great huge economic boost for a whole metro area.

[Inhogswetrust]

I'm probably like most people and have not given much thought to the points you bring up, other than assuming that a game like this would have a positive effect on the local economy, or why else would they want it. Even if it were just cheap or free adverting I assumed they expected long term tangible benefits.

Did know that most schools that send teams to these bowls don't make much, if any money, but it does have a very positive impact on their fans, recruits and supporters, which does effect their bottom line in tangible ways.   

I've read before where except the big bowls most schools LOSE money going to games. That loss is sometimes explained away by saying in the long run it benefits the athletic department by helping get recruits, more supporter money, marketing, etc. I'm sure there is some truth in that. So is it really a loss? Who knows. I guess it depends on how often they go and how much the supporters really support it. I'm betting if a team goes to smaller bowls only periodically it probably is a loss. Sometimes in all industries benefits are not in "real" dollars but other means and measures.

[Seminole Indian]

I've read before where except the big bowls most schools LOSE money going to games. That loss is sometimes explained away by saying in the long run it benefits the athletic department by helping get recruits, more supporter money, marketing, etc. I'm sure there is some truth in that. So is it really a loss? Who knows. I guess it depends on how often they go and how much the supporters really support it. I'm betting if a team goes to smaller bowls only periodically it probably is a loss. Sometimes in all industries benefits are not in "real" dollars but other means and measures.

Pretty sure A-State either lost a little or broke even in all their recent bowl games, but you will be hard pressed to find anyone up in this neck of the woods, that thinks going to those 4 games was not worth the cost.