Yesterday the two teams for the 2009 Interenational Bowl were announced - University at Buffalo Bulls and the University of Connecticut Huskies. Accelteon is a strategic partner with the International Bowl, thus we get a unique view into this annual cultural and sporting phenomenon.
Bowl games are essentially the post season for US College Football and occur annually from mid-December to early January. They are as much about the fan experience as they are about the game itself.
From the time fans learn if and where their team will play (usually on the first or second weekend in December) to the weeks following the game, the bowl experience brings together fans in a way unlike any other sport.
The following is a timeline from pre-announcement to post-game on how various fan groups might interact:
Pre-announcement Anticipation:
- Days or hours before the bowl committees announce their selection, fans rush to online discussion forums to discuss and predict where their team may go.
- This is probably the most anxious time for the fans as they don’t know if or where they are going. For example, this year University of Connecticut fans didn’t know if they should book a plane ticket to El Paso Texas for the Sun Bowl or get ready to drive up to Toronto.
Getting Ready to Go:
- Once the fans know where their team is going fans go online to:
- Discuss the match-up, some fans hoped for a better bowl game, opponent or location; however, most are excited about the opportunity to travel with their team for a new experience.
- Try to find out from other fans what the best way to travel to the game is (car, plane or train); if they are driving, many try to find other people to car pool with.
- Discuss where the best hotels, restaurants, pubs are in the host city. Some fans may group together to get a discounted hotel rate.
- Team pep rallies are often held at the school before the team heads off to their bowl location. This is an opportunity for players, students, alumni and fans to rally around the team.
Living The Experience:
- Once the fans arrive in the host city they may participate in a host of planned an unplanned activities:
- Unplanned activities may include meeting up with old classmates at a local pub, students hanging out together with the team at a club, or a family/group of friends going to see local tourist attractions.
- Planned activities may include, The Battle of The Bands competition, an awards luncheon or a pep rally before the game.
Game Day:
- Fans that attend the game often head to the stadium early to participate in tailgating activities
- Once the game begins, the thousands of fans in the stadium band together as one for the duration of the game.
- Likewise, fans that could not make the trip often get together either on campus, or at a friends house to watch the game. However, some fans take the bowl viewing experience to another level as seen in this video.
Post-Game:
- Once the game is done, fans may gather for one last meal before heading to the airport or hitting the road to get back home.
- The days and even weeks following the bowl game is usually filled with fans posting pictures/videos, talking about their experiences and thinking about next season.
Brands such as FedEx, Tostitos, Allstate and Capital One have been synonymous with the bowl experience for many years. In subsequent posts we’ll talk about how companies can and have monetized this opportunity.
