FRIENDS, FANFARE and FOOTBALL
Projects, practice, festivities lead up to third annual Live United Bowl
Like a newborn colt taking its first gallop across a pasture, in its third year the Live United Texarkana Bowl seems to have found its footing.
It’s still a little tough to learn to pronounce, but the Live—rhymes with give— United Bowl arrives this year with a full dance card: Two talented teams with an axe to grind, two full bands with a combined 250 members, all the cheerleaders, all the color, pageantry and excitement of college football and, oh yes, television cameras.
“It’s gotten bigger, it’s gotten better,” said bowl president Allen Brown. “You’re going to see not just a football game. You’re going to be entertained. You’ll hear bands play. You’ll see cheerleaders cheer. You’ll see a halftime show.
“We’ve done a lot of things this year to enhance the experience. It’s the best family entertainment value you’ll ever get.”
Tickets to the 12 p.m. game are $10 for adults, $4 for children. As of Friday afternoon, Brown said plenty of tickets are still available. If you’re going, go early. You’ll need time to park at Arkansas High and walk or ride a shuttle to the stadium, where there is plenty to see and do.
Area hotels and restaurants have felt a surge from the bowl game, and the national exposure from being seen live on ESPN3 is of immeasurable benefit to the community, said Buddy Allen, interim director of the Texarkana Chamber of Commerce.
“The bowl is very, very important. It fills up the hotels and restaurants for several days, and ESPN3 gives us a national stage,” Allen said. “I can’t think of a better marketing tool for Texarkana.
“Allen Brown needs to ride on one of the camels in the Christmas parade,” Allen added.
Between community events, meals and practices, the past couple of days have been busy for players and coaches from Southwestern Oklahoma State and the University of Central Oklahoma, two schools that are 90 miles apart and have played 87 times since first meeting in 1905. Both teams arrived Thursday.
The big pre-game event was last night at the Arkansas-side convention center. Following a sold-out Jeans, Boots and BBQ Banquet, the doors were swung open for a community-wide pep
rally. This year, bowl sponsors increased their contributions to help pay to bring both bands and complete cheer squads.
Before the game today will be a 5K run and jamboree of Pee-Wee teams.
Brown said the teams have been enthusiastic about meeting the community and being a part of all the goings-on.
“They know that this year is just a stepping stone and that this is just the third year,” he said. “They’re interested in helping this community, they’re interested in helping this bowl game succeed.”
In addition to the college atmosphere, organizers have worked to make sure that Razorback Stadium is fan- and family-friendly. Dozens of volunteers will be on hand to help people get where they’re going. The Arkansas-side police department will be out in full force. A kids’ play area, with two inflatables, will enliven the area behind the east end zone.
Last week’s rains left the grounds around the stadium soggy, so parking will be at the high school. Shuttle buses will start running at 8:15 a.m.
Both participating schools are public universities. UCO, in Edmond, has about 17,200 students, the third-largest university in the state. Keith Traylor, who won three Super Bowl rings during a 17-year career as a nose guard with Denver, Oakland, Green Bay, Kansas City, Chicago, New England and Miami, is among 10 former Bronchos who played in the NFL.
SWOSU, in Weatherford, has around 4,200 students. NFL coaches Rex Ryan and Rob Ryan are Bulldog alums.
As always, the big emphasis of the game is the United Way.
Corporate sponsors and contributions from the Texarkana, Ark., Advertising and Promotion Commission have covered nearly all the cost of promoting the game. Ticket sales are earmarked for the United Way.
“The last five or six years we have not been able to meet the needs of all the organizations that rely on the United Way,” Brown said. “They have a million dollars in needs, and we’ve only been able to raise $500,000 to $600,000.”
Getting a contract with ESPN was a major step forward for the bowl.
“This is a great thing for this game,” Brown said. “This is going to catapult us to the next level. Right now, we’re on their Website. We’ve got to leave a lasting impression with these people.” There’s one way to do that. “This game won’t be judged by the score, or how well the teams played. It won’t be judged by how well the bands played or how good the cheerleaders were,” Brown said. “It will be judged by how many people are in those stands.”