Cure Bowl growing, likely to remain part of postseason lineup
The Cure Bowl sprouted from a seed of ambition and quickly grew with a powerful purpose, promoting awareness and raising funds for breast cancer research.
“Cancer affects so many,” said Alan Gooch, executive director of the AutoNation Cure Bowl. “We felt like our mission is bringing teams together to find a cure for cancer. I mean, that's our mission statement.”
Gooch has been a champion of the cause well before the game became a reality in 2014. As a former football coach, he understood the value of teamwork and he knew if the Cure Bowl was going to succeed, it would need everyone's help from volunteers and city officials all the way to those who lead the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Four years and more than $3.5 million later, the Cure Bowl continues to host college football teams and raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research.
“We had a vision for what we wanted with the bowl … but did I think we were going to be able to raise money at the pace that we're doing? The answer to that is, ‘No,' ” Gooch said.
Thanks to two happy college football conferences, a strong charitable focus and community support, the relatively young bowl is expected to remain regardless of any conversations nationally about dropping or adding bowl games.
“I think that the ingredients that are in place for long time success are there,” said Sun Belt commissioner Karl Benson, which has a primary tie-in for the game.
The league is a key partner for the game and Benson's support, knowledge of college athletics and friendship has been invaluable to Gooch.
“In Alan's case, he's been able to tie it into a real bonafide legitimate viable charitable event and I think that's what's made the Cure Bowl unique in terms of its purpose. I think it's established itself,” Benson said.
There's a reason Orlando is the only city to host three bowl games in the Cure, Camping World and VRBO Citrus bowls: location, location, location. Central Florida is a top vacation destination with its warm weather, theme parks, hotels and nearby beaches.
“I know that throughout the Sun Belt, the reaction from teams that have played in Orlando before has been just very positive,” Benson said. “I think in a very short period of time, it's become the favorite of the Sun Belt.”
American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco, whose league also has a tie-in with the game, agrees with Benson.
“It's a great place to have a bowl game,” Aresco said of Orlando.
But putting on a bowl game can be expensive. And given the fact that there are 41 games (including the College Football Playoff National Championship Game) this season and that number is slated to increase to 42 by 2020, there are certainly challenges.
Attendance, for example, has been on a steady decline at these games nationally since 2010, with last season averaging out to 40,508 fans per bowl game. The Cure Bowl is averaging more than 21,000 fans per game, with a high of 27,213 fans back in 2016 when the game featured hometown UCF and Arkansas State.
“I think it does take time and we certainly are not discouraged at all with the lack of attendance that there's been,” said Benson, who believes that as the Sun Belt grows in recognition, those numbers will improve.
Then there are the typical expenses that come with running a bowl game: everything from the cost of player gifts all the way down to paying the game officials.
“There's so many community partners out there that help us put this on so that we don't have expenses in every category, but there are some categories you just can't avoid,” Gooch said. “It's work, that's for sure. But we have a very strong board of directors and advisory board and they all chip in to help and bring in different resources so that we can make this happen.”
Gooch said while the group has to pay to put on the game at Camping World Stadium, city officials have worked to give them the best deal possible.
“Wherever we can get help with expenses, that helps us and obviously if we have to spend less on things to put a game on and were able to raise more money for cancer research,” he said.
Then there the sponsors who have stepped, including Universal Studios, which houses the teams and provides entertainment for the players and families.
“I would say what has impressed me the most in this process is the amazing support and promotion from our title sponsor, AutoNation. They have gone above and beyond what our expectations were or even our agreement,” Gooch said. “Without this game, cancer research in the United State would be down $3-$3.5 million.”
Aresco believes the Cure Bowl is on solid footing.
“I think it's going to make it long term. When you start these bowl games, you never quite know and some of them have struggled, but this one I think is going to be OK,” he said.
As the current cycle of bowl agreements comes to an end in 2020, Gooch has already been working with Aresco and Benson to make sure the Cure Bowl is a part of the AAC and Sun Belt bowl lineups.
“We have five guaranteed bowls and my goal is to leave behind for the next commissioner of the Sun Belt five really solid bowl games. … We are expecting and anticipating that the Cure Bowl going forward will be one of our premier games,” said Benson, who is retiring next season.
Aresco added, “I believe we would and it will probably be on a rotation for us in the future. I think it's going to be a staple of the bowl lineup and I think it will be fine.”