Kickoff – Bowl Season Official Newsletter, November 2022

BOWL SEASON OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2022

MILESTONE THREADS

Bowl Bound Shirts — Celebrating Bowl Eligibility While Taking Care of the Environment

By KEVIN McNAMARA

A

s Dino Babers walked to the microphone for the start of his post-game press conference after a convincing win over 15 ranked th

North Carolina State in mid-October, the Syracuse coach couldn’t hide his excitement.

For the first time in four

‘Bowl Bound’ shirts quickly became a hot item not only on the backs of the Orange players but allaround Central New York.

As the Orange celebrated becoming bowl eligible, Jay Hertwig owned a smile as well. Hertwig the Senior Vice President of Commercialization for Unifi

seasons, he knew his Orange

Manufacturing, a Greenboro, N.C. textile

were headed for Bowl Season.

production company that’s part of a

“There’s a lot of goals

unique partnership along with Vapor

that are still out there but

Elemental Wear that’s producing

there’s one goal that’s been

the new, ‘Bowl Bound’ performance

checked,” Babers said. “It’s going to be interesting to see

shirts. Unifi, the makers of REPREVE® — a sustainable

where this family can go as

fiber composed of recycled

we move down the road.”

plastic water bottles, is

To help commemorate Syracuse’s first 6-0 start since 1987, the players received what’s become the memento that all college football players crave: a Bowl Bound shirt. Syracuse’s hot start has captivated the program’s fans and Bowl Season’s

changing the game with Vapor, the official partner for Bowl Season’s apparel campaign which focuses on both elite performance and sustainability.

“Who can’t get excited about college football?,” Hertwig hypothetically pondered. “Football is king and BOWL SEASON | November 2022

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BOWL BOUND BOWL BOUND B O W L B O U N D

PUNCHING THEIR TICKET: UCF became bowl eligible with its sixth win on Oct. 29 vs. Cincinnati.

a lot of our employees are football fans who are excited

bowl-bound teams with performance shirts, hoodies

to be a part of this campaign. Sports are a great

and quarter-zips in men, women and youth sizes. Each

platform to create awareness of our products.”

shirt is made with 16 recycled water bottles.

And let’s face it — celebrating around college football is a lot of fun.

The Bowl Bound shirts first appeared as part of victorious locker rooms last fall.

Bowl Season Executive

“Bowl Season is a

“We are excited to not only be a part of it, but also provide premium sustainable apparel to each school that qualifies for a bowl game.”

Director Nick Carparelli said Bowl Season saw an

– JACKSON BURNETT

Vapor Elemental Wear President

opportunity to elevate

special time of year for College Football. We are excited to not only be a part of it, but also provide premium sustainable apparel to each school that qualifies for a bowl game," said Jackson Burnett, president of Vapor Elemental Wear.

Carparelli said the

the overall campaign and shine a light on sustainability

success of the Bowl Bound shirt program a year

in the environment at the same time. REPREVE

ago was a rallying point for all the bowls, but he was

sustainable fiber is shipped to Vapor in Charleston,

especially excited to see how players and coaches

S.C., where it creates the sustainable active-wear for all

embraced the product.

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BOWL SEASON | November 2022

RIDING A WAVE: As one of the first teams in the country to win six games, Tulane became Bowl Bound for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

BOWL BOUND BOWL BOUND BOWL BOUND BOWL BOUND “We thought it was a new and creative way to

shouldn’t come as a surprise that Hertwig owns

promote Bowl Season and extend our brand beyond

deep football roots. His uncle, Craig Hertwig, was

the actual few weeks where we’re playing the bowl

an All-American offensive lineman at Georgia who

games,” Carparelli said. “In sports we see all sorts of

played for the Lions and Bills in the NFL. Jay was on

celebrations where teams win and get a shirt. Well

the Bulldog squad from 1989-92 and the Hertwig

becoming bowl eligible is a big deal for football

family remains major fans of the program.

programs around the country and a cause for

“I’ve seen a host of bowl games — the Sugar, the

celebration. This has generated authentic enthusiasm

Peach, the Citrus,” Hertwig said. “My favorite was

with the student-athletes and now with REPREVE

the 2018 Rose Bowl Game. I took my son and we

and Vapor as partners, the program has gone to a

saw Georgia play Oklahoma. It was an unbelievable

new level. It’s really been a home run.”

shootout (a 54-48 Bulldog overtime win) and just a

The fact that the Bowl Bound shirts are made of recycled water bottles certainly is an eye opener. As

great, memorable experience.”

This Bowl Season, Hertwig and other fans of

REPREVE’s Hertwig says, “anyone you talk to always

successful college football teams can join the fun and

asks ‘this shirt used to be a bottle?’ They’re amazed.

help the environment by wearing their ‘Bowl Bound’

College kids really care about sustainability. They

shirts and performance gear.

really get it.’’

In a nod to the pervasive excitement around college football and Bowl Season, it probably

After all, bowl eligibility is the first step to Bowl Season. Time to celebrate the accomplishment and wear it (literally).

BOWL SEASON | November 2022

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BOUNCE BACK

Bowls Games Affected by the Pandemic Look to Return Better than Ever this Year

By KEVIN McNAMARA

A

s Steve Beck sat in a conference room at the Madison Hotel in Washington, D.C. last December, he felt his partners at the Military Bowl had somehow dodged the COVID-19 bullet.

For several days, players, coaches and staff members from the East Carolina and Boston College football teams had enjoyed the best of what the nation’s capital offers. There was a visit to the Museum of African American History. They presented care packages to service members and welcomed Medal of Honor recipients to town. They enjoyed the history of the Naval Academy and Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis.

Boston College’s team had been in the D.C. area for several days, happily choosing to skip the

team representatives and ESPN a day before kickoff,

Christmas holiday with their families and instead

Beck’s antenna raised. When he was waved out of the

prepare for the Military Bowl. Yet a combination of

meeting, Beck feared the worst.

growing COVID cases, injuries and opt-outs had

“We really thought we had dodged the bullet, so to speak, but East Carolina received a call from Boston College saying they could not play. It was

ravaged the Eagles’ roster, leaving as many as 40 players unavailable.

With next to no time available to find a

26 hours before kickoff,” Beck said. “It really was a

replacement opponent, Beck had no choice but to

strange time.”

cancel the Military Bowl for a painful second-straight

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BOWL SEASON | November 2022

PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOLIDAY BOWL

Yet when an East Carolina official excused himself from that Dec. 26, 2021 meeting of bowl officials,

season. Like many other bowls, the 2020 game had never got off the ground due to widespread COVID.

“In a way we look at last year as obviously very unfortunate, but also a great dress rehearsal,” Neville

The Military Bowl wasn’t alone. Up in Boston,

says. “It was going to be our first time at Petco. Now

the 2021 Fenway Bowl was canceled due to COVID

we know the game will look great in that stadium. It

cases within Virginia’s program. The Cavaliers were

was going to be our first game on the Fox Network

scheduled to face SMU in the inaugural bowl game at

and they’re all set to go. It’s our first time matching

Fenway Park. Out in San

teams from the PAC-12

Diego, Mark Neville and

and the ACC.”

his staff at the Holiday

Like many bowls,

Bowl were preparing to

the Military and Holiday

travel over to the first

games also did not

game ever set inside

occur in 2020 due to

Petco Park matching

the pandemic. The pain

North Carolina State and

of missing two straight

UCLA.

years of games has

“I had my backpack

been replaced with the

on ready to leave my

excitement of delivering

office for Petco Park and

on all the events that

the athletic director at

surround Bowl Season.

UCLA (Martin Jarmond)

For example, the

called and said his team

Military Bowl is the

could not play due

centerpiece of a

to COVID cases. That

nonprofit foundation

changed our day, that’s for sure,” Neville said.

Fox television reported that UCLA’s defense had sustained a wave of positive COVID cases in the two days leading up to the game. The Bruins

“It was devastating for a lot of people. I went to speak to the N.C. State team at their hotel the next morning and it was horrible, just awful.”

had no choice but to pull out of the game.

“It was devastating for

that also operates the D.C. Touchdown Club and Patriot Point, a beautiful retreat on Maryland’s Eastern Shore that welcomes recovering service members, their families and caregivers.

– MARK NEVILLE

CEO, San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl

Without a sold-out football game every

a lot of people,” Neville said. “I went to speak to the

December to fill the foundation’s coffers, Beck and

N.C. State team at their hotel the next morning and it

his team scrambled for the last two years to raise

was horrible, just awful.”

money for Patriot Point through the Touchdown

Now nearly a year later, Beck and his staff are planning for another Military Bowl presented by Peraton in Annapolis. Neville says the city of San

Club. Patriot Point welcomed nearly 50 veteran retreats last year.

The Military Bowl also proudly welcomes Medal of

Diego can’t wait for the 43rd annual San Diego

Honor recipients to the game. When the news broke

County Credit Union Holiday Bowl. Both games

in that ill-fated meeting last December, External

are set for December 28. The City of Boston will

Relations Director Josh Barr said his mind instantly

finally enjoy the very first Wasabi Fenway Bowl on

jumped to the Medal of Honor soldiers traveling to

December 17.

Washington for the game.

BOWL SEASON | November 2022

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“I knew I had to contact whoever hadn’t left their home states as soon as possible,” Barr said.

“One from South Dakota, Mike Fitzsimmons,

Partnership Spotlight

had just left the airport. We welcomed him into town anyways and had a great dinner and he was able to tour Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam Memorial the next day.”

The Medal of Honor recipients are booked for a return to Washington and some choice seats at this year’s Military Bowl.

In San Diego, Neville says that many of his

The Brandr Group is the leading agency in group licensing programs, with rights to over 70 college athletic programs and their

supporters have followed the Holiday Bowl since

student-athletes in the name, image and

its inception in 1978. They’re looking forward to

likeness category including the biggest

this year’s game more than ever before.

brands in college sports. TBG partners

“They really took the cancellation last year

with prominent brands, colleges, sponsors,

hard because I think we all needed a fun day

corporate trademarks, athletes, and events to

and a great game, right?’’ he said. “But we

cultivate, diversify and monetize intellectual

turned the page as quickly as we could last year

property through professional brand

because we had to. San Diego is fired up, our

management and licensing endeavors.

volunteers are fired up.”

Bowl Season Executive Director Nick

In its partnership with Bowl Season, TBG continues to deliver the student-athlete

Carparelli said he’s hoping all of the bowl games

voice in developing custom NIL activation

that haven’t enjoyed an event for the last two

programs for brands.

seasons are ready for huge success.

“These teams of people work all year to bring a bowl game to their community and to have this happen once is really difficult. To have it happen a second time is unheard of,” Carparelli said. “The good news for these bowl games is because they are so important to their communities, their

Riot Creative Imaging is a premier color

sponsors and supporters have really rallied and

graphics production agency that delights

come together to make 2022 a special year.”

its customers by bringing their designs

Parades are scheduled in Annapolis and

to life in remarkable ways. Their national

the Port of San Diego. Tickets to the game and

operation is staffed with skilled professionals

pre-game tailgate parties are selling fast. San

who produce superior results for customers

Diego’s famous KGB Sky Show is set to light up

representing some of the world’s best-known

the skyline over Petco Park with a post-game

brands, including the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl,

spectacular fireworks display.

the Rose Bowl Game and ESPN. Riot Creative

“We’re really excited to have a game to

produced the 2022 Bowl Season Annual

prepare for,” said the Military Bowl’s Beck.

Report, and specializes in printed media

“Everyone involved here, including our veterans

supporting bowl game events such as media

and supporters, are ready for a great event. We

day, VIP events, pre-game, hotels, fundraisers

can’t wait to find out what teams we’ll welcome

and game day. Contact Jerry Garland for

here but I can tell you whoever is fortunate

more information on how Riot can help you:

enough to come here is really going to have a

312-890-9507.

great time.”

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BOWL SEASON | November 2022

2022 BOWL BOUND AAC

PMAC

ACC

MWC

BIG TEN

PAC12

BIG 12

SEC

C-USA

SBC

Prepared by:

IND

Bowl Eligible, as of Nov. 1

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Ross Dellenger

Nick Florence

Shehan Jeyarajah

Jacob Hester

Jeff Hundley

Lea Tre Bill Stallings Miller-Tooley Belichick

EP.

Steve Beck

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Jeff Siembieda

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Charlie Ward

Rachel Lindsay

Laine Higgins

Ben Skowronek

Callie Bundy

Don McPherson

Pat Forde

Stephon Gilmore

Kordell Stewart

Jason Gannon

Jamal Anderson

Greg McGarity

Roy Williams

Mark Meadows

Steve Hogan

Billy Ferrante

Steve Ehrhart

Sean Johnson

BOWL SEASON | November 2022

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BOWL SEASON | November 2022

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