Despite a small slip in overall impact, officials of the Culligan Holiday Bowl were happy to report another year in which the event generated more than $20 million.
A recent financial impact study said the Holiday Bowl generated $22.1 million for the local economy, with a direct economic impact of $11.6 million.
The figures indicated a slight decrease from results in the past two years. The game generated $23.2 million in 1999, and $26.5 million in 1998.
According to Executive Director Bruce Binkowski, the decrease in overall impact could be attributed to another factor in the report , a smaller average length of stay for out-of-town visitors.
He blames it in part on the timing of the game. The holidays are a particularly slow time for tourism, Binkowski noted.
Although the Holiday Bowl staff advertises in each team’s city every year, it plans to work with the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau to step up those efforts next year, he said.
Binkowski was quick to note his organization’s goal is to surpass $20 million each year, and that the bowl has accomplished that for three years running.
In a media release, bowl President Jim Philion echoed Binkowski’s sentiments.
“Quite an accomplishment,” Philion said.
According to the Holiday Bowl, 9 million people tuned into the Dec. 29 game between the University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oregon Ducks.
The game scored the Holiday Bowl’s second highest viewership in its 23-year history, with a 5.5 rating. According to the bowl’s report, 4.4 million households watched the Ducks beat the Longhorns, 35-30.
The 2000 game’s financial impact study, which was done by locally based Marketing Information Masters, Inc., also revealed that there were 35,539 out-of-town visitors to the game and its related events.
Among those events was the Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade, which also aired nationally on the Travel Channel.
The report also showed that those visitors accounted for 20,000 hotel room nights.
Marketing Information Masters also found that the bowl-related visitors stayed an average of 2.6 days and they spent an average of $319 each.
The Holiday Bowl’s estimated 68,000 tickets were sold out two weeks before the game.
This year, the Holiday Bowl gave both teams a record-high payout of $2 million. Payouts go toward the conference and the team’s expenses for traveling.
In related news, Joe Craver was elected president of the 2001 Holiday Bowl. Craver, who retired as a colonel in the Air Force, is the founder, president and CEO of marketing company Galaxie Management, Inc.
Craver is a past chairman of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. He’s also on the board of directors for the Armed Forces YMCA, San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum, San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Workforce Partnership.
Other elected officers for the 2001 Holiday Bowl include Lisa Richards, president-elect; Bob Shumake, secretary; and Jim Lamb, treasurer.
