Touchdowns, Tackles, and Tax Revenue
With college football on the verge of the first ever playoff to determine the Division I National Champion, one aspect of the traditional postseason remains firmly in place: the bowl games. No matter which school wins the National Championship this season, Floridians may be the true champions, as Florida is set to host eight out of the 38 bowl games, more than any other state.
College bowl games benefit Florida in a variety of ways, especially those that host two out-of-state schools, since fans and teams stay in Florida hotels, and fans will have the opportunity to take in the state’s world-renowned theme parks and spend money in the local economies, all while paying state and local taxes. The attention given to the host regions through advertising, traditional and social media exposure, and the broadcast of the games (in some cases, worldwide) can provide a significant boost to the state’s tourism marketing efforts. In addition to their economic impact, the bowl games’ organizing committees also give back to Florida communities through charitable initiatives.
| Top 5 2015 Bowl Game Host States | |
| Florida | 8 |
| Texas | 6 |
| California | 4 |
| Louisiana | 3 |
| Alabama | 3 |
This season, seven out of the eight bowl games to be played in Florida will feature two out-of-state teams, and only one Florida school (UCF) will play in the eighth, bringing 15 schools and their fans to the Sunshine State potentially for the first time.
Bowls have been played in Florida for 80 consecutive years
Florida, California, Louisiana, and Texas were the first states to host bowl games. The goal of hosting bowl games was to promote the host states’ tourism and business amenities. In fact, the predecessor of the Orange Bowl, the Festival of Palms Bowl, was organized with the goal of revitalizing Miami economy after the Great Depression.
To date, Florida has successfully hosted bowl games for 80 uninterrupted years. In fact, the Orange Bowl, along with Louisiana’s Sugar Bowl and Texas’s Sun Bowl, are the second-oldest bowl games in the nation. In the recently ended Bowl Championship Series (BCS) era, Florida was home to 4 out of 15 National Championships.
"Touchdowns, Tackles and Tax Revenue"
In the new College Football Playoff era, Florida has upped its Bowl game, as it has successfully secured two new bowls: the Miami Beach Bowl and the Boca Raton Bowl, and was also selected to host the 2017 National Championship game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Florida will also host the 2015-16 semifinals in December 2015, as part of a three-year rotational agreement between the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl.
» NEXT PAGE: A snapshot of all the bowl games being played in Florida
Snapshot: The 2014-15 Florida Bowl Games*
This is the inaugural year for the Miami Beach Bowl. Several events throughout Miami were promoted to attendees, including the Beach Bowl Battle of the Bands, and the Miami Beach Bowl Fan Fest.
Date: December 22, 2014
Location: Marlins Stadium, Miami
Match-up: BYU vs. Memphis
This is also the first year for the Boca Raton Bowl. Three conferences are affiliated with the Bowl: the Mid- Atlantic Conference, Conference USA, and the American Athletic Conference. The MAC is the host conference, and will play an opponent from each conference in 2014 and 2015 respectively.
Date: December 23, 2014
Location: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton
Match-up: Marshall vs. Northern Illinois
Formerly the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl, this year marks the inaugural Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl. Bitcoin, a digital currency, will be accepted for the first time for ticket and concession sales at the game as part of the bowl sponsorship.
Date: December 26, 2014
Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
Match-up: NC State vs. UCF
Formerly the Champs Sports Bowl, over its 24 years of existence this bowl has had eight different names, including the Sunshine Classic, the Carquest Bowl, MicronPC Bowl, and the Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl.
Date: December 29, 2014
Location: Citrus Bowl, Orlando
Match-up: Clemson vs. Oklahoma
The Orange Bowl is one of the oldest bowls in the nation, and has successfully hosted a game for 80 years straight. Like other bowls, the Orange Bowl also promotes several game-related activities for fans, such as the Fan Fest and the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic
Date: December 31, 2014
Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami
Match-up: Mississippi State vs. GA Tech
The Outback Bowl has had the same name for longer than any other bowl in the nation. The game is the culmination of several Tampa Bay events throughout the week, including the Clearwater Beach Day, the Metlife/Mercedes-Benz Gridiron Gala, and the Battle of the Bands at Busch Gardens
Date: January 1, 2015
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
Match-up: Auburn vs. Wisconsin
Formerly the Capital One Bowl, The Citrus Bowl is also one of Florida’s oldest, operating since 1947. This game and the Russell Athletic Bowl, in addition to the Florida Blue Classic and the Florida Citrus Parade are part of the “Orlando Bowl Week”.
Date: January 1, 2015
Location: Citrus Bowl, Orlando
Match-up: Minnesota vs. Missouri
Formerly the Gator Bowl, this bowl game has existed since 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl. It was also the first bowl game televised nationally.
Date: January 2, 2015
Location: Jacksonville Stadium
Match-up: Iowa vs. Tennessee
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» NEXT PAGE: How bowl games positively impact local and state economies
Bowl Games Positively Impact Local and State Economies
Hosting bowl games is not only a matter of prestige. Bowl games that bring in out-of-state dollars create a significant impact in the local economies that host them. The industries that benefit the most are accommodation and food services; arts, entertainment, and recreation; and retail trade.
"Touchdowns, Tackles and Tax Revenue"
The 2011-12 Capital One Bowl and Champs Sports Bowl and their related activities, held in Orlando, brought in an estimated $5.61 million in spending on accommodations, and $3.74 million in restaurant expenses, and fans were able to spend time at the state’s most famous attractions, including Disney and Universal Studios Parks. All told, the 2011-12 Orlando Bowl Week was estimated to result in an economic impact of $70.9 million. The maximum potential impact, however, was estimated to be $88.6 million, assuming both games were sell-outs hosting four out-of-state teams.1
The overall Orange Bowl Economic Impact in 2012-13, the year it hosted its last BCS National Championship, was estimated to be $298.1 million, including $127 million in direct spending, and $4.9 million in tax revenue.2 On Florida’s gulf coast, the Outback Bowl is estimated to generate an annual economic impact of $40 million for the Tampa Bay region.3
In addition to economic impact, bowl games help their communities through charitable initiatives. The Orange Bowl Committee, for instance, runs the “Kicks for Kids!” initiative, which collects new and gently used athletic shoes and donates them to South Florida’s underserved children. The Florida Citrus Sports organization has helped thousands of at-risk youth from Central Florida through its MVPs programs, and many other bowl game committees offer scholarships and other education-related efforts to Floridians.
Conclusion
While the sports world is celebrating touchdowns, tackles, and trophies, all Floridians can be celebrating the positive economic impact that hosting the most bowl games in the nation has on their state.
1 Florida Citrus Sports. “Orlando Bowl Week Economic Impact Study.” Prepared by Enigma Research Corporation.
2 South Florida Business Journal. “Orange Bowl, BCS Championship scored high in Economic Impact.” November 1, 2013.
3 Outback Bowl. General Sponsor Overview.
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"Touchdowns, Tackles and Tax Revenue"
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Economic Commentary written by Jennifer Linares, MS, Research Analyst.
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