DCist: D.C. Bowl Game To Feature Navy, Wake Forest

Kevrock

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:34:07 -0500

OK, yeah I agree that attendance will be an entirely different matter from ticket sales -- as the Nats can attest. Given the proximity, a good portion of the Navy student body should attend, but depending on the weather they may make up the bulk of the crowd. I'm guessing attendance will likely be somewhere in the teens. It will help that Navy encourages its boosters to buy extra tickets and donate them to the school so they can give them to cash-strapped Midshipmen and local military families.

IMGoph

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:15:20 -0500

kevrock: just to make sure to clarify, i'm looking for actual attendance, not tickets sold. i'm sure they'll sell out the stadium, or something approximating that, but i want to know how many people don't come dressed up as empty seats... we'll see if the crowd of over 30K materializes

Kevrock

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:56:41 -0500

They had already sold 22,000 tickets to this game before Navy's opponent had even been announced. The Academy travels well (and they don't have far to travel in this case). Organizers said they are anticipating a crowd of at least 30,000 and the folks at Wake Forest were evidently very excited at the prospect of playing in DC, so the final ticket sales shouldn't be too bad.

hkeith

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:31:08 -0500

I can hardly wait NOT to see this game, in person or on tv.

TheUpstateLife

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:27:42 -0500

I take your point there. Not to be pedantic, but there is no Eagle Bank Bowl without the possibility of playing Navy. They were/are essentially locked in to the game. Any ACC team would know they're going to play them pretty much from day one. I'm saying the date of the bowl game from the get-go, regardless of who the opponent would've been, made the EagleBank Bowl impossible for UMD to attend because of exams and was never an option for the school to begin with. Hopefully, the organizers can move it to a later date (and kickoff time... 11am!?) to accommodate MD in the future, especially since this is the last year the ACC affiliates itself with Boise.

Kev29

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:19:12 -0500

Maryland denied the EagleBank Bowl wayyy before they found out they could be possibly playing Navy I take your point there. Not to be pedantic, but there is no Eagle Bank Bowl without the possibility of playing Navy. They were/are essentially locked in to the game. Any ACC team would know they're going to play them pretty much from day one.

TheUpstateLife

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:07:33 -0500

Maryland denied the EagleBank Bowl wayyy before they found out they could be possibly playing Navy due to it falling on exam week. There are around 25 players that have exams on that Saturday, which the AD really tried to work around, but MD ultimately had no other choice but to accept Boise. I'd much rather see the Terps take on Navy here in DC then some WAC team out west on the Smurf Turf.

boondoggle

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:47:07 -0500

If this bowl game were a beer it would be Keystone Light. Can we get a story about renting homes and apartments to visiting fans? It isn't inaguaration sure, but I believe there tens of dollars to be made here.

Kev29

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:30:57 -0500

Student athletes can pretty much take their exams whenever they're available. Though I do understand wanting to have a reduced practice schedule that week while exams are going on. I still think there's something else behind this.

TW

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:17:22 -0500

FWIW, I'm pretty sure I remember having finals on Saturdays at Maryland.

HCE

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:09:56 -0500

"Maryland really screwed this bowl by refusing on grounds of "exam week". As if Maryland athletics really care about grades! There must be something going on behind the scenes there if they're denying the Eagle Bank organizers a Maryland-Navy game. I think 'exam week' means, don't feel like playing the Mids this year." Seriously. It's on a Saturday morning at 11 AM. NOBODY will be studying on Saturday morning at 11 AM.

monkeyrotica

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:54:50 -0500

I'm withholding my opinion until I hear from FREDTERP. MONKEYROTICA

Kev29

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:44:04 -0500

anybody want to take bets on actual attendance? i'll wager something between 16 and 19 thousand Navy always get 30k+ at home. I'll bet on that - I'm sure they are on the hook for a certain amount of tickets.

Phil

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:42:13 -0500

$45 for "cheap" seats to an exhibition game? It should've at least had a cool name like Poulon Weedeater Bowl or something.

IMGoph

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:23:48 -0500

anybody want to take bets on actual attendance? i'll wager something between 16 and 19 thousand

the_heckle

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:21:48 -0500

Apparently Navy had no problem seeing Army's uniforms.

Kev29

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:17:38 -0500

Maryland really screwed this bowl by refusing on grounds of "exam week". As if Maryland athletics really care about grades! There must be something going on behind the scenes there if they're denying the Eagle Bank organizers a Maryland-Navy game. I think 'exam week' means, don't feel like playing the Mids this year. And Wake-Navy is what bowl organizers really dread - a rematch. And a rematch for Navy against the smallest 1-A school, who's fans have already seen Navy and had a game in the area (loss to Maryland). Ouch.

majapa

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:15:20 -0500

Another note, however: did anyone see Army's uniforms on Saturday? Pretty cool.

majapa

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:14:51 -0500

ces12: My thoughts exactly. If I'm here on that date, I'm certainly waiting til after kick off to see what I can get from scalpers.

ces12

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:06:23 -0500

$45 minimum to see these two teams play a meaningless bowl game at a crappy stadium? What a joke.