Tribal Warfare
10-03-2009, 04:24 AM
Jacksonville aims for grabbing Senior Bowl from Mobile and getting Tim Tebow to play in the game (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-sportssenior-bowl-01100109oct01,0,5395958.story)
Jacksonville aiming for Senior Bowl with Tebow
By Jeremy Fowler
SENTINEL STAFF WRITER
October 1, 2009
GAINESVILLE — Looks like Tim Tebow might get the chance to prepare for the NFL in his own backyard.
The city of Jacksonville is "real close" to taking over the Under Armour Senior Bowl from Mobile, Ala., as early as 2010, Jacksonville sports and event coordinator Michael Bouda told the Sentinel on Tuesday.
The next Senior Bowl is Jan. 30, 2010, a week before the Super Bowl.
"We're very optimistic about it," Bouda said. "We don't have anything signed yet."
The Senior Bowl is a primary pre-draft recruiting event for NFL scouts, media and fans to evaluate college seniors who just completed their last season.
Eleven first-round picks in the 2009 draft played in last year's event televised by NFL Network.
The Sentinel left a message with Senior Bowl officials.
The Senior Bowl is considering moving the game because of business pressures and a failure to reach an agreement with Ladd-Peebles Stadium, which seats 40,646 fans. Last year's event announced an attendance of 38,796.
Tampa has also been linked as a potential host city. Mobile has held the event every year since 1951.
Jacksonville, which hosted the inaugural game in 1950, can hold around 84,000 fans in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
"The event has outgrown Mobile," Bouda said. "We feel we can take it to the next level."
The carrot dangling in front of Jacksonville is Tebow playing for his hometown fans, but Bouda said Mobile might not want to relinquish the game until 2011.
There's no guarantee Tebow would play in the game, but he grew up in Northeast Florida and played high school ball for Ponte Vedra Beach Nease before winning a Heisman Trophy at Florida.
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver told The Associated Press he would entertain the thought of drafting Tebow in April's NFL draft because of his on- and off-field impact.
A Tebow-led Senior Bowl in Jacksonville could be a healthy indication of whether he could drive Jaguars sales.
Bouda said a decision to host isn't based on Tebow, but he admitted, "I certainly would love to have Tebow, no doubt. You can change your whole marketing plan with him."
In other related news: Though Florida and Georgia have agreed to a six-year extension on their Jacksonville rivalry game, Bouda said a deal has not been signed.
But he's confident it will happen soon because Georgia getting on board is a "big positive," he said.
The current contract expires in 2010. Both sides have agreed with CBS to play the game at 3:30 p.m. every year.
Jacksonville aiming for Senior Bowl with Tebow
By Jeremy Fowler
SENTINEL STAFF WRITER
October 1, 2009
GAINESVILLE — Looks like Tim Tebow might get the chance to prepare for the NFL in his own backyard.
The city of Jacksonville is "real close" to taking over the Under Armour Senior Bowl from Mobile, Ala., as early as 2010, Jacksonville sports and event coordinator Michael Bouda told the Sentinel on Tuesday.
The next Senior Bowl is Jan. 30, 2010, a week before the Super Bowl.
"We're very optimistic about it," Bouda said. "We don't have anything signed yet."
The Senior Bowl is a primary pre-draft recruiting event for NFL scouts, media and fans to evaluate college seniors who just completed their last season.
Eleven first-round picks in the 2009 draft played in last year's event televised by NFL Network.
The Sentinel left a message with Senior Bowl officials.
The Senior Bowl is considering moving the game because of business pressures and a failure to reach an agreement with Ladd-Peebles Stadium, which seats 40,646 fans. Last year's event announced an attendance of 38,796.
Tampa has also been linked as a potential host city. Mobile has held the event every year since 1951.
Jacksonville, which hosted the inaugural game in 1950, can hold around 84,000 fans in Jacksonville Municipal Stadium.
"The event has outgrown Mobile," Bouda said. "We feel we can take it to the next level."
The carrot dangling in front of Jacksonville is Tebow playing for his hometown fans, but Bouda said Mobile might not want to relinquish the game until 2011.
There's no guarantee Tebow would play in the game, but he grew up in Northeast Florida and played high school ball for Ponte Vedra Beach Nease before winning a Heisman Trophy at Florida.
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver told The Associated Press he would entertain the thought of drafting Tebow in April's NFL draft because of his on- and off-field impact.
A Tebow-led Senior Bowl in Jacksonville could be a healthy indication of whether he could drive Jaguars sales.
Bouda said a decision to host isn't based on Tebow, but he admitted, "I certainly would love to have Tebow, no doubt. You can change your whole marketing plan with him."
In other related news: Though Florida and Georgia have agreed to a six-year extension on their Jacksonville rivalry game, Bouda said a deal has not been signed.
But he's confident it will happen soon because Georgia getting on board is a "big positive," he said.
The current contract expires in 2010. Both sides have agreed with CBS to play the game at 3:30 p.m. every year.