Post by Father Figure on Sept 2, 2010 9:50:56 GMT -5
Momentum for Legacy Bowl appears to have slowed
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer The Times and Democrat | Posted: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 3:30 am
What looked like a full-speed effort toward holding the Legacy Bowl has apparently slowed down for now.
On Monday, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Commissioner Dennis Thomas said the conference's executive council is still involved in the vetting process on the viability of the joint venture with the Southwestern Athletic Conference. It now appears a final vote on whether to participate in the ESPN-sponsored postseason football game will not take place in the fall as Thomas previously indicated, but instead will be pushed to as late as March 2011.
The news comes six days after a teleconference with council members and a week after Thomas sent a response letter to South Carolina State University President George Cooper's letter asking questions about the proposed game. Thomas would not comment Monday on any issue addressed in his response letter.
The Times and Democrat obtained a copy of Thomas' letter to Cooper dated Aug. 23 in which the MEAC commissioner answered 10 questions from Cooper's letter sent three days earlier. Thomas referred to Cooper's letter as an "epistle."
In Thomas' response, he confirmed the $600,000 guaranteed payment the MEAC would receive and share among its members for sending the regular-season champion to face the SWAC champion on Dec. 17, 2011, in Atlanta.
Thomas also indicated the representing school at the Legacy Bowl would have to use portions of the guaranteed money to cover all team, band and cheerleader expenses, but that does not prohibit negotiating with other sponsors to offset costs.
"The conference and participating institutions can negotiate with any corporate partner to offset costs associated with the game, but I remind you that this is what the guarantee is for," Thomas said in the letter. "If an institution has a corporate partner with a hotel chain, then it is solely up to the institution and that hotel chain to negotiate room rates. ESPN is responsible for this event and would talk with City of Atlanta officials regarding accommodations taxes."
Previous reports had the two historically black conferences receiving $1.5 million each to split with its members. With the recent additions of North Carolina-Central and Savannah State, the MEAC has 11 football-playing schools and two non-football schools (Coppin State and Maryland-Eastern Shore)
By comparison, S.C. State received $225,000 plus the revenue from 1,500 tickets available for sale to face 16th-ranked Georgia Tech this Saturday in Atlanta.
Thomas also looked to assuage concern about whether the MEAC could regain its automatic qualifier berth for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs should it relinquish it to take part in the Legacy Bowl. He said the conference's standing in the FCS playoffs would return to its same state and even if the MEAC opts out, it would retain a presence on the NCAA selection committee and an at-large berth is still available for a non-Legacy Bowl team.
When asked about the MEAC brand, Thomas indicated to Cooper it could actually be advanced by the Legacy Bowl.
"The strength of the MEAC football brand is strong both within the FCS as well as through its conference rivalry between the MEAC and SWAC," he said. "Having a bowl game televised on ESPN on an annual basis and promoted year-round by ESPN probably would bring more national branding for the participating institutions and conferences."
Contact the writer: tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by calling (803) 533-5547. For more information about S.C. State athletics, visit www.thebulldogzone.com.
By THOMAS GRANT JR., T&D Senior Sports Writer The Times and Democrat | Posted: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 3:30 am
What looked like a full-speed effort toward holding the Legacy Bowl has apparently slowed down for now.
On Monday, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Commissioner Dennis Thomas said the conference's executive council is still involved in the vetting process on the viability of the joint venture with the Southwestern Athletic Conference. It now appears a final vote on whether to participate in the ESPN-sponsored postseason football game will not take place in the fall as Thomas previously indicated, but instead will be pushed to as late as March 2011.
The news comes six days after a teleconference with council members and a week after Thomas sent a response letter to South Carolina State University President George Cooper's letter asking questions about the proposed game. Thomas would not comment Monday on any issue addressed in his response letter.
The Times and Democrat obtained a copy of Thomas' letter to Cooper dated Aug. 23 in which the MEAC commissioner answered 10 questions from Cooper's letter sent three days earlier. Thomas referred to Cooper's letter as an "epistle."
In Thomas' response, he confirmed the $600,000 guaranteed payment the MEAC would receive and share among its members for sending the regular-season champion to face the SWAC champion on Dec. 17, 2011, in Atlanta.
Thomas also indicated the representing school at the Legacy Bowl would have to use portions of the guaranteed money to cover all team, band and cheerleader expenses, but that does not prohibit negotiating with other sponsors to offset costs.
"The conference and participating institutions can negotiate with any corporate partner to offset costs associated with the game, but I remind you that this is what the guarantee is for," Thomas said in the letter. "If an institution has a corporate partner with a hotel chain, then it is solely up to the institution and that hotel chain to negotiate room rates. ESPN is responsible for this event and would talk with City of Atlanta officials regarding accommodations taxes."
Previous reports had the two historically black conferences receiving $1.5 million each to split with its members. With the recent additions of North Carolina-Central and Savannah State, the MEAC has 11 football-playing schools and two non-football schools (Coppin State and Maryland-Eastern Shore)
By comparison, S.C. State received $225,000 plus the revenue from 1,500 tickets available for sale to face 16th-ranked Georgia Tech this Saturday in Atlanta.
Thomas also looked to assuage concern about whether the MEAC could regain its automatic qualifier berth for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs should it relinquish it to take part in the Legacy Bowl. He said the conference's standing in the FCS playoffs would return to its same state and even if the MEAC opts out, it would retain a presence on the NCAA selection committee and an at-large berth is still available for a non-Legacy Bowl team.
When asked about the MEAC brand, Thomas indicated to Cooper it could actually be advanced by the Legacy Bowl.
"The strength of the MEAC football brand is strong both within the FCS as well as through its conference rivalry between the MEAC and SWAC," he said. "Having a bowl game televised on ESPN on an annual basis and promoted year-round by ESPN probably would bring more national branding for the participating institutions and conferences."
Contact the writer: tgrant@timesanddemocrat.com or by calling (803) 533-5547. For more information about S.C. State athletics, visit www.thebulldogzone.com.