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September 18, 1997
By H.D. StewartIs 1997 the year the 7 year old Heritage Bowl finally turns the corner? If it doesn't, planning and hard work will certainly be devoid of blame.
For the first time in the history of the annual matchup between the champion or designate rep from the MEAC against their contemporaries in the SWAC, the game enjoys a full time effort that actually started the day after last year's contest in the Georgia Dome.
By that time, the game had wisely decided to hire a full time executive director, who was former Morehouse Head Football Coach Craig Cason.
After last year's great game but disappointing crowd numbers (in fact, the lowest in the game's brief history) Cason whispered to a reporter that "those figures will never go any lower".
He even bolstered his confidence in attracting more ticket buyers by proclaiming during a news conference this week that he would be disappointed if less than 40,000 people attended. "I'll put my signature on that", he said.
To his credit, Cason and his fulltime staff have worked like dogs since January lining up sponsors and adding new wrinkles which will hopefully put the game in position to attract more ticket buyers.
One of his first major accomplishments was finally getting the date for the game on a weekend. This year's contest will be played on Saturday, December 27th at the Dome. Cason says he isn't worried that the date is just two days after Christmas. "This is something you can really build on," he said. "I think people will come here versus spending the weekend at a mall trying to return unwanted Christmas gifts. And we are starting our promotion early to convince people to perhaps make a Heritage Bowl ticket one of their Christmas gifts to someone."
Cason also attracted McDonald's as the title sponsor for a second year. In fact, he convinced them to ink a long term agreement.
"We agreed to sponsor the game in three year increments," said McDonald's spokesperson Valerie Miles. "After the 3 years are up, we will take a look at where we are with it." The game also attracted Delta Airlines as a major sponsor. Gillette, which has been a part of the game for 5 years, is conducting a contest with winners to receive an opportunity to come to Atlanta to compete in a punt, pass and kick competition for $25,000.
Cason says each of the MEAC and SWAC schools have been sent $4000 worth of tickets that SWAC Commissioner Jim Frank says each school is compelled to sell. Cason said they have found, however,that 75% of their ticket sales are local . Given that there are no schools from either conference in Atlanta, Cason says they have organized a so called " fan jamm" for the Friday night before the game at the Georgia World Congress Center. Atlanta Radio Stations WAOK and WVEE (V-103) have agreed to host the activity and were named the official radio stations for the '97 Heritage Bowl.
Cason also says that they are in discussions with organizers of the first ever Pioneer Bowl also scheduled for Atlanta December 20th. Champions or reps from the SIAC are scheduled to play their Division II contemporaries in the CIAA. " We are scheduled to begin discussing soon ways we can cooperate with each other. Our feeling is that we support anything that helps advance the progress of black college football. "
The game is also offering attractive travel and hotel packages for visitors to Atlanta that weekend.
The Hyatt Regency, who will be the game's principal hotel headquarters, is offering a special " fan" rate of $59 per night per room. And the Peachtree Plaza, which will house the bands of the visiting teams, will also be offering a special room rate.
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