The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE inaugural edition of the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl was a success on the field, but local stakeholders and organisers still hope to improve on various aspects as hosts.

Bowl season is quickly approaching as the NCAA heads into its sixth week, members of the government and the National Sports Authority assessed their readiness at the recent Kickoff Pep Rally hosted at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

“We have a tight schedule, but we’re up to the challenge. It’ doesn’t get better than a bowl game and it certainly doesn’t get better than a bowl game in the Bahamas so we have much to live up to based on last year and we are ready to do so,” said Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Dr Daniel Johnson.

NSA chairman Leroy Archer said the facilities will be up to standard in due time. “On behalf of my board and my team, we will be ready. The Bahamas Bowl is coming again and we want to make it a successful event,” he said. “We welcome this event and we appreciate that you have returned to our island. You can rest assured that our venue will be top notch.”

One of the major concerns addressed by the local and international media was a lack of fan attendance, particularly in the eastern grandstand.

Tommy Thompson, deputy directer general of tourism, said that over the course of the next few months a greater effort will be made to attract both locals and visitors to the December 24 contest.

“One of the things we have to do is to make sure we get more visitors to the game,” he said. “We have to tap into the cruise-lines, tour operators and explore whatever avenues we can get to attract more fans to the stadium.”

In June ESPN made the official announcement to come onboard with the project.

Pete Derzis, senior vice president and general manager of ESPN Events, opened the pep rally by saying his organisation welcomed the addition of the Christmas Eve event which garnered international acclaim last year.

“A bowl game is a special event. This is going to be a wonderful platform for so many different people and so many different businesses in this country when you latch on to it. It is special to have a postseason event in paradise where so many different players and so many different programmes are anxious to come and participate, but also to experience the warm and friendly culture of the Bahamas,” he said. “These events wouldn’t be possible without our stakeholders. This is a long term investment in your beautiful country. Hopefully, this game will satisfy a void in the sports scene and grow in stature and status year by year.”

The 2014 game featured Western Kentucky of Conference USA against Central Michigan of the MAC in the first FBS-level bowl game outside of the United States or Canada since 1937. The Hilltoppers held on for a 49-48 victory over the Chippewas in one of the most memorable bowl games of the 2014 season.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen has extended its title sponsorship in a multi-year deal with the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl.

According to an analysis of expenditure on the 2014 game, the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl spent just over $1.2 million in the Bahamas. That number did not include the money spent by Popeyes for activation in Nassau.

The game reached nearly 12 million viewers in the United States and saw over 13,000 attendees locally. There was a strong social media presence with nearly 56 thousand posts, 141 million impressions and 1,587 articles.