The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL weeks remain before the regular season determines which teams will travel to Nassau for the second annual Popeyes Bahamas Bowl and the marketing scheme is in high gear with offers to attract visiting football enthusiasts to the country.

Fans now have an opportunity to take advantage of Popeyes Bahamas Bowl packages which include a five-day/four-night stay at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort and VIP Western Endzone seating for the game.

Available from Wednesday, December 23-27 with flex options, the package includes round-trip airport transfer, round-trip event transfer, 24-hour trip assistance, a tour host on site and a trip souvenir.

Earlier this month, organisers launched their campaign to promote the second edition of the only NCAA Division I bowl game to be played outside the United States with a kickoff pep rally at the Thomas A Robinson Stadium.

Greg Rolle, senior director of sports marketing and sales for The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, said it is an effort to attract even more international fans to the game. “We are incredibly excited to once again host the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl in The Bahamas. The inaugural game was a tremendous success, and we hope to build on that by creating a wonderful VIP package for any college football enthusiast and their family,” he said. “This package allows stress-free travel to The Bahamas as everything is taken care of - from VIP tickets to the Bowl to transfers, to all-inclusive food and beverages at one of the top luxurious resorts in Nassau. The game proved last year that it was a true destination event that fans across the country want to attend and support, and we hope that the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl package will make this easier.”

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.

The game reached nearly 12 million live 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.

That exposure is expected to increase as ESPN made the official announcement to come onboard with the project last June.

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

“It is an exciting time to add this incredible event to our portfolio of events we do throughout the United States,” he said. “As a company we have a great commitment to college football. We have built an incredible industry as a rights holder from a television standpoint, so the natural extension for us was on the event business, both in the postseason with the 13 bowls as well as the preseason with the three events we do. College football is second only to the NFL and it continues to grow.”

The bowl was acquired from Bahamas Bowl, LLC, which owned the inaugural game in 2014.

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

Hector A Muñoz, chief marketing officer in the US for Popeyes, said the partnership between his company and the Bahamas is now cemented with the building of its first franchise restaurant in the country.

The company has already started its national ad campaign in reference to the game.

“We couldn’t be more proud of the relationship we have established with the bowl game and with the Bahamas. We are completely committed to the country with the building of our first restaurant,” he said. “We couldn’t be more excited to be here and we look forward to an extended partnership that will go on for years to come.”