EMU headed to Popeyes Bahamas Bowl

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

Great for EMU. They were being lectured to drop athletics in the offseason on HBO and respond by going to their second-ever bowl game.

All 4 FBS teams from MI will go to a bowl game this year.

They'll face Old Dominion in a 1pm game on 12/23.

.@EMUFB is headed to the @PopeyesChicken Bahamas Bowl!! #LetsRoll #EMUFB pic.twitter.com/InJO1dRUWC

— EMU Athletics (@EMUAthletics) November 29, 2016

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Bando Calrissian

November 29th, 2016 at 11:13 AM ^

They were lectured by HBO? More like they were part of a segment on how Athletic Departments like EMU's are disproportionately taking money from the academic side of the university, and money from student tuition directly, to keep failing athletic programs afloat. EMU's numbers were particularly egregious in this respect. 

Great, they made a bowl game. But that doesn't magically change the big-picture problem of their Athletic Department's general financial situation. 

Joined: 07/02/2008

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Bando Calrissian

November 29th, 2016 at 11:47 AM ^

To think they're about to lose a ton of money on this bowl game--payout last year was $450,000. For reference, the Citrus Bowl payout was $4.5 million. They'd get almost three times that amount for the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field. 

And for all the success this season, EMU never even sold out Rynearson. Best crowd was a little more than 20k. 

Still a failing program, 7 wins or not.

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Sac Fly

November 29th, 2016 at 1:43 PM ^

Eastern is going to take a huge L with the airfare and the amount of hotel rooms and tickets they're required to buy. It's going to be over a million dollars, so unless the MAC is splitting 12 million they're not going to break even.

Minnesota spent 1.7 million dollars to go to the Citris Bowl and they only made a few hundred thousand. UConn went to the Fiesta Bowl a few years ago and lost 1.8 million. That was with a significant payout from their conference, which Eastern is not getting.

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jimmyshi03

November 29th, 2016 at 1:06 PM ^

In part because this should be a competitive game. I was worried they'd be paired with an Arkansas State, Boise or an established Group of 5 power and get blown out. They'll have a real shot here.

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DaveHuck

November 29th, 2016 at 1:29 PM ^

I am happy for EMU (and the students who attend).  The past several years have been quite dismal, so hopefully they can build on this success.  I have two kids who are attending EMU and, although they are UofM fans, are happy for EMU's success.  They won't attend the bowl game, but we will all be watching and rooting for them (and wishing we were in the Bahamas).

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dougr188

November 29th, 2016 at 2:25 PM ^

If the Cubs can win the World Series AND Donald Trump can be elected President of the United States.

I suppose EMU can go to a bowl game. It fits into whatever theme 2016 has become.

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Bando Calrissian

November 29th, 2016 at 3:07 PM ^

If you want to get a feel for the pageantry and tradition of the Popeyes Bahama Bowl, check out this ridiculously great piece from EDSBS' Rodger Sherman:

http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2014/12/29/7454257/popeyes-bah…

So great, so absurd.

 

"We know our fans love chicken and football," says Popeyes director of communications Todd Burke. "It's a perfect marriage."

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