The University of Cincinnati football program is not in the Sports Humanitarian Bowl for the money, and probably will not make much. Rather, UC believes the publicity of a rare bowl appearance will far exceed any dollar value.
Athletic Director Bob Goin, who led the bid for the Dec. 29 game in Boise, Idaho, said UC can only generate positive vibes from its first bowl appearance in 47 years.
Goin estimated that travel costs could cost UC more than $500,000, but he said the school will not lose money.
''We're getting a pretty good response on fans buying tickets, but even if they don't go, we've got private money to cover expenses,'' Goin said. ''We will not use any athletic department money to make this trip. ''
UC, which will receive $750,000 from the Humanitarian Bowl, has committed to covering the cost of 15,000 tickets at $30 per pop in Boise, even though the school will not take that many people. When travel costs are added, UC could land in the red before private donors - whom Goin did not name - cover the costs.
Whereas an Ohio State will be paid $8.2 million for appearing in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, UC's $750,000 guarantee is the low end of the bowl scale with five others - Aloha, Carquest, Insight.com, Liberty, and Motor City.
Top scale is the Rose Bowl at $10 million per team, with the Alliance bowls (Fiesta, Orange, Sugar) paying between $8.2 and $8.5 million. Most divide payouts with their respective conferences. The Ohio States get richer, while UC and other mid-major programs are grateful just to get a bid.
Comparing the Ohio State and UC football programs is a classic apples-oranges scenario. For UC, Boise is one small step in what it hopes is one giant leap for Bearcat-kind.
Goin has been there. He worked at Florida State for 14 years and was athletic director from 1989-94, overseeing the Seminoles' 1993 national title team.
''Florida State started out in the All-American Bowl in Birmingham, and went from there,'' Goin said. ''You have to start somewhere.'' The bowl has enabled UC coach Rick Minter and his assistants, some of whom are on the road recruiting this week, to use the words ''bowl game'' without getting snickers.
''UC didn't have this kind of national exposure when we went 47 years ago, did we?'' Goin said. ''There was no ESPN or USA Today talking about it. Is the publicity worth it? I believe it is.''
Goin said the entire school can benefit.
''Maybe on December 29th, there's a high school golfer or volleyball player flipping channels, and they see us in a bowl game. Maybe that means something to them. You can't measure what that means.''
What will it mean?
''Well, the one thing that hasn't happened at UC in 47 years is to see what effect postseason play has on recruiting and national exposure,'' Goin said. ''We haven't had a chance to evaluate that yet. The No. 1 issue is that this is an investment.''
One thing UC players will not have to concern themselves with, at least during their time in Boise, is academics. Players are taking final quarterly exams this week , then the school goes on holiday through Jan. 4.
''If someone needed an academic advisor for a special needs case, we would send one,'' said Bruce Ivory, UC assistant athletic director - academic services. ''But I don't foresee that happening. The kids can go and enjoy themselves.''
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