by Fred Seely
Editorial Director
With the Jan. 1 Gator Bowl game already a sellout, some are looking toward the future.
A convention bureau proposal will be considered by City officials to make next year’s game a “test drive” for the 2005 Super Bowl, complete with cruise ships and game week attractions.
Titled “Super Gator Bowl Concept,” the proposal lists six areas which could be used as practice sessions for the Super Bowl:
• The College Football Hall of Fame has an interactive exhibit similar to the “Adams Street Experience” used at Jaguar games. This would be set up to simulate the “NFL Experience” which is a major display during Super Bowl weeks.
• Reconfigure Alltel Stadium to simulate the setup which will be used Feb. 6, 2005. The NFL sideline arrangements, for instance, are different than those used for college games.
• Recreate the expected boat traffic by inviting owners of large yachts to dock downtown during the Gator Bowl game.
• Practice the transportation modes which will be used for the game including shuttle plans.
• Develop the “Tourist in your own town” program to introduce residents to the many exhibits and attractions that will come with the Super Bowl.
• Bring a small cruise ship into downtown. Part of the Super Bowl lodging plan calls for up to 10 cruise ships to berth here to serve as hotel rooms.
What’s learned from the Jan. 1, 2004 Gator Bowl would be applied to the Jan. 1, 2005 game, when again the “Super Gator Bowl Concept” would be done.
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This year’s game is officially a sellout, which was predicted as soon as either Notre Dame or West Virginia was designated as the Big East representative.
Notre Dame, which was chosen by the bowl’s selection committee, will be the home team, but fans can expect to see more N.C. State fans in the stands.
“We got a week’s jump on them,” said State Coach Chuck Amato, “and our fans really responded. If Notre Dame had been announced before us, we probably would have gotten 10 tickets.”
State is the Atlantic Coast Conference representative and was chosen early because it was available. Notre Dame was still under consideration for the Bowl Championship Series — the four biggest bowls which choose first, but which had “released” State — and so that decision was made a week later.
State took its initial allotment of 12,500 tickets and quickly asked for 5,000 more. Those sold quickly, and the Raleigh, N.C. school now has sold over 25,000 itself plus an unknown number through ticketmaster.com.
That left Notre Dame with its 12,500 plus whatever was left over and the demand has been heavy.
Unlike Jaguars games, fans can expect to see scalpers at this game.
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Both schools will have final exams this week, and both coaches will try and fit practices around classroom schedules. The teams will arrive the day after Christmas.
Notre Dame will stay at the Sawgrass Marriott and State will be at the Omni.
The media headquarters will be at the Adam’s Mark Hotel.
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The Gator Bowl’s decision to open the coaches’ first visit seemed to be a big success.
In the past, there has been a news conference at The River Club.
This year, the association board, major volunteers, school alums and holders of the “Patch” — that’s a promotion designed to bring the younger set into the mix — were invited to the stadium’s East Club for the signing. There was a cash bar and heavy d’oeuvres were served.
About 200 attended and the party lasted until 8 p.m.