Vanderbilt A.D. Says Bowl Games Aren’t Money-Makers

January 2, 2013 /
Nashville Business Journal, Jamie McGee

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/news/2013/01/02/bowl-games-are-no-money-makers.html

Vanderbilt University, the victor of the 2012 Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, was the hometown team, but still had to pay like a traveling team, according to Athletic Director David Williams.

Allotted about $1.2 million from the Southeastern Conference to cover game expenses, the school paid for hotel, travel and food expenses for the team, the band, cheerleaders and the dance team, Williams said. And because classes start a week after the Dec. 31 game, Vanderbilt still had to buy plane tickets for participants.

Under the bowl agreement, players and other participants stayed in hotels — the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center for the players and Renaissance Hotel for the band and cheerleaders. Vanderbilt also funded bus trips from the Gaylord Opryland to the Vanderbilt field for practices leading up to the game.

Last year, Vanderbilt had $20,000 leftover from the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, but Williams said schools can lose money participating in bowl games. Numbers for the 2012 game are not yet available, he said.

What the SEC tries to do each year as they go through this is to give us as close to the amount of money it takes for us to actually participate in the bowl,” Williams said. “We’re not making any money by going to the bowls.”

Vanderbilt beat N.C. State Monday 38-24. There were 55,801 fans in attendance, compared to 55,208 in 2011 and 69,143 in 2010, according to bowl officials.


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