The following is the FWAA Bowl Media Survey Report for post-season bowls
of the 2005 season. It was compiled by FWAA second vice-president, Ron
Higgins of the Memphis Commercial Appeal with help of the Football Bowl
Association (FBA). There are 12 bowls covered, including the four Bowl
Championship Series bowls. These bowls had a representative sampling of
surveys. Thanks to everyone who participated.
FIESTA
The good: Strong on the hospitality, with all the basics needed on
game day, such as wireless internet, and an almost-flawless press box
and interview area operation.
The bad: Having two media hotels, as well as an uncooperative Ohio
State team that didn't follow post-game interview rules that calls for
the dressing room to be open for 30 minutes while the Ohio State press
conference takes place in the interview area. Ohio State's press
conference ended after 14 minutes and the Buckeyes immediately closed
the dressing room, which is typical of the always-uncooperative Big 10.
Writers were forced to catch players for interviews by the team buses.
ROSE
The good: Rated high in almost every area, especially the expected
game-day basics such as pre-game information.
The bad: Stats were delivered to seats way late after each quarter
and the post-game quotes were nowhere quick enough to get to writers
banging on deadline. There was also a complaint that there weren't
enough Texas players at Media Day.
ORANGE
The good: Excellent on game night in most areas, especially getting
post-game quotes quickly into the hands of writers.
The bad: Waited until Jan. 1 to use roundtables for press conference
breakouts. This should have done this much earlier. Also, the media
center often didn't have a current schedule of the week's events.
Finally, the post-game shuttle schedule wasn't adjusted to later
departures after the game went three overtimes.
SUGAR
The good: Despite being in Atlanta, it went off without a hitch.
The bad: The only complaint was the press box was a little crowded.
ALAMO
The good: Everything ran smoothly. Access was great during the week
and game day went smoothly, with plenty of phones and electricity and
quick post-game quotes.
The bad: None.
CAPITAL ONE
The good: The media hotel rated high in quality, price and location.
The bad: Plenty. The media center failed to provide media conference
transcripts and practice notes in a timely fashion. On game day, one
writer complained his seat was so bad that he couldn't see all off the
field or clearly hear the press box public address announcer.
COTTON
The good: They know what the media needs to do their jobs, while
making them feel like welcomed guests. This year, Cotton Bowl PR
director Charlie Fiss even chartered a bus for Alabama writers to go to
Norman, Okla., to cover the Tide's basketball game. As one writer put on
his survey, "Every worker, staff or volunteer at every bowl, should be
required to intern at the Cotton Bowl."
The bad: Are you kidding?
HAWAII
The good: It's Hawaii.
The bad: Everything associated with the game. There was one scheduled
press conference all week. There were no post-game quotes from either
sports information director or the bowl, and nothing was posted online.
The post-game press conference began without the bowl sports information
director being ready. The four high-speed lines in the press box were
for bowl folks and the sports information directors. The game ended on
deadline, and quickie stats took 20 minutes to reach the writers.
HOLIDAY
The good: Nothing. This was an absolute disaster.
The bad: The media center was always locked, so writers couldn't get
basic information like practice times, times for a media shuttle,
quotes, etc. Access to coaches and players was lousy. There was one
press conference the day before the game, with only two head coaches.
Writers were not told by bowl personnel that there was a coaches'
luncheon that the TV media people attended.
During the game, the stats were incorrect. The bowl charged for some
of its press box food and the press box ran out of drinks. One writer
said that when he left the press box for good 90 minutes after the game,
he still hadn't seen any post-game quotes sheets. The same writer said
that it was by far his "worst postseason bowl experience ever." He noted
that the bowl's media director is also the bowl's parade director.
NEW ORLEANS
The good: Excellent hospitality and a fairly sharp game-night
operation, especially considering they had to play the bowl in Lafayette
instead of New Orleans. Access to both teams was fine, and both coaches
had press conferences after practices in a trailer outside the stadium.
The bad: While the winning team was on the field for a post-game
celebration, the losing team took too long to get to the interview area.
Also, there was no media hotel as planned, but that was to be expected
because Hurricane Katrina evacuees were still being housed.
LIBERTY
The good: Vastly improved post-game setup, with a real,
honest-to-goodness, spacious, accessible interview area. But if this
game goes to night next year, it needs the press conference piped into
the press box P.A. The media hotel was excellent, but somebody needed to
provide press conference quotes. If there were any, writers didn't see
them.
The bad: Only two press conferences during the week, and a handful of
players. More players and the coordinators of each team would be nice.
Also, both coaches gleefully cut off access to their teams one day after
arrival. This is simply inexcusable. The bowl needs to spell out the
scheduled media obligations to the invited coaches and sports
information directors, and make them stick to them.
OUTBACK
The good: Helpful, friendly bowl staff handled everything well that
was in their control. Writers gave high marks to the work area, the
high-speed ethernet and the press box food.
The bad: Biggest problem was too many non-media members on the
sidelines during the game blocking working photographers, and the same
problem in the post-game media interview area. Working media only. Get
rid of the freeloaders and friends of the bowl. Also, post-game quote
sheets took too long. They also needed one last shuttle for writers who
finished late.