Elk Grove Village Mayor holds the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl trophy on the field, decorated with the Makers Wanted logo before the big game in Nassau, Bahamas Friday, Dec. 20. (Photo by 4Front marketing)
Elk Grove Village sponsored the first ESPN college bowl game of the holiday season the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl Friday, Dec. 20 in Nassau, Bahamas.
The field and stadium were filled with logos and graphics featuring Elk Grove Villages Makers Wanted slogan. This was the second year Elk Grove Village sponsored the game. Ratings and website analytics were not immediately available from ESPN or the villages marketing company, 4Front.
Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson said sponsorship of the game is about marketing the village to national and even international audiences. Analytics from the December 2018 Bahamas Bowl shows the village received about $12 million worth of media exposure from the game, Johnson said.
With the novelty of the first non-tourist municipality to sponsor a bowl game over, Johnson said he did not expect to see the same level of buzz about the 2019 Bahamas Bowl, but still believes it will be of value.
Elk Grove Village spent $849,000 on sponsorship of the 2018 and 2019 Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl games, including fees to ESPN, television commercial production and other marketing. Those fees include advertising buys for the presidential election on cable news channels and a marketing contract with the firm 4Front.
Loves Travel Stops & Country Store Real Estate Project Manager Chad Bruner (left) with Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson after an October Elk Grove Village board meeting where a new Loves at 1900 Busse Rd. was approved. Bruner said he learned about the village watching the December 2018 Bahamas Bowl game at home in Oklahoma. (Tom Robb/Journal photo)
Loves Travel Stops & Country Stores is set to open a new location in Elk Grove Village, which Johnson said could be worth $15 to $20 million in tax revenue to the village over 20 years. Officials with Loves say they chose the village after seeing commercials for Elk Grove Village during the 2018 Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl.
Seven Elk Grove Village businesses also donated $50,000 in building materials and supplies to a Nassau-based organization founded to provide a home for children displaced as a result of family problems, who have been abandoned, orphaned or whose primary caregivers are deceased. As part of the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl Charitable Initiative coordinated by the village, Johnson said building supplies including tile, doors, appliances and other items, would be used as Ranfurly Homes expands to meet new demand caused by Dorian. Officials with Ranfurly told Johnson the building supplies were a huge help.
Elk Grove Village Mayor Craig Johnson (right) with Alexander Roberts, administrator of the Ranfurly Homes for Children (left) in front of U.S. government provided tents at the Ranfurly Homes in the Bahamas. (Photo provided by 4Front Marketing)
When Johnson arrived at Ranfurly Homes for Children in Nassau during his trip to the Bahamas Bowl, he was shocked to see children displaced by Hurricane Dorian still living in tents provided by the United States.
The children at Ranfurly are from Grand Bahama, one of two islands along with the island of Abaco devastated by the slow moving Category 5 hurricane in September.
Although the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco were devastated by the hurricane, The Bahamas includes 700 islands over a 10,000-square mile area. Grand Bahama and Abaco are located in the northern part of the island chain.
The capital of Nassau missed the storm, only experiencing minor flooding. Nassau is located on two adjacent islands linked by a bridge in the center on the islands of New Providence, where the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl was played at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, and the smaller Paradise Island where the event hotel, the Atlantis, is located.
Johnson oversaw a pinball tournament and beach party dance-off between bowl game athletes at the Atlantis. The pinball tournament was hosted by Elk Grove Village-based Stern Pinball. Stern brought Star Wars and Guardians of the Galaxy pinball machines to the tournament, donating each school one machine each.
Tourism is the Bahamas largest industry. Bahamian officials are eager to dispel the notion that Dorian destroyed all the nations tourist sites.
The game was played between the Bulls of the University of New York at Buffalo and the 49ers from the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. The Bulls dominated the 49ers in a 31-9 victory. The offensive player of the game was Bulls running back Jaret Patterson who rushed 32 times for 173 yards and 2 touchdowns.
In attendance with Mayor Johnson at the big game was Mike Brennan, principal at the Brennan Investment Group. Brennan brought along some of his top sales staff as a reward, Johnson said. Commercials aired during the game featuring the new Elk Grove Technology Park along with the villages longtime business park.
A big crowd fills Real Time Sports on Devon Avenue in Elk Grove Village at the official watch party for the village-sponsored ESPN Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl, Friday, Dec. 20. The big screen shows the villages Makers Wanted logo filling the field between the 20 and 30 yard lines. (Tom Robb/Journal photo)
Back in Elk Grove Village, a few hundred people gathered at Real Time Sports Bar for the official watch party, including village staffers, public works crews and others. Village staffers dressed in bright blue Bahamas Bowl T-shirts greeted those attending the event and gave away prizes.
Bigger cheers at Real Time did not go up when major plays were made on the gridiron, but when one of four commercials for the village aired. The broadcast also showed B-Roll from the pinball tournament and beach bash.
Colleen Heniff, a freshman at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte (right), home in Lombard on winter break from school, sits with her father Bill to cheer on UNC Charlotte 49ers at the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl official watch party at Real Time Sports Friday, Dec. 20. Tom Robb/Journal photo)
One who made the trip to Real Time Sports was Colleen Heniff, a freshman at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, who was home in Lombard on winter break from school. She came to the viewing party with her father Bill to cheer on her team.
Although the crowd thinned after halftime when the Bulls were up 17-0, Real Time manager Ben Cirrincione said the bar was two-to-three-times busier than normal. He said he expected the Bahamas Bowl to be the busiest of all the ESPN college football bowl games.
Village staffers clad in Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl gear welcome guests at the official watch party for the bowl game at Real Time Sports last Friday, Dec. 20. (From left) Jenn Mahon, Kathy Hahn, Giordan Kaplan, Bolor Bat-Erdem and Brianna Bacigalupo. Tom Robb/Journal photo)
Even the Bahamas Bowl could not escape the reach of Elk Grove Villages retroactive term limits referendum debate. Concerned Citizens of Elk Grove Village chairman Tim Burns confirmed his group paid to run an advertisement through Comcast in the Chicago market. An illuminated truck with messages advocating term limits also circled the parking lot outside the viewing party.
Read the original:
- Bahamas Vacation Packages & Travel Deals - Atlantis - December 9th, 2016 [December 9th, 2016]
- Bahamas: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture ... - December 12th, 2016 [December 12th, 2016]
- Nassau Paradise Island, Bahamas Where to Stay - December 22nd, 2016 [December 22nd, 2016]
- Bahamas Vacation Packages & Travel Deals | BookIt.com - December 22nd, 2016 [December 22nd, 2016]
- All-Inclusive Hotels & Resorts, Nassau Paradise Island - January 15th, 2017 [January 15th, 2017]
- Bahamas - The New York Times - February 5th, 2017 [February 5th, 2017]
- The Official UK website, The Island of The Bahamas | The ... - February 5th, 2017 [February 5th, 2017]
- No Elections Just Yet, Bahamas Prime Minister Says | Caribbean360 - Caribbean360.com (subscription) - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Survival in the Bahamas - Lifestyle - The Daily Herald - Columbia, TN - Columbia Daily Herald - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- CHTA Donates $25000 for Bahamas hurricane relief - Yahoo Finance - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Miami hosting Venezuela-Bahamas Davis Cup tie - Tennis Magazine - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Venezuela plays Bahamas in "home" Davis Cup matches in Doral ... - Miami Herald - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Bahamas tops Caribbean on crime's economic cost | The Tribune - Bahamas Tribune - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Bahamas Victory Could Propel Lincicome to 2017 Solheim Cup - LPGA (press release) - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Lupus Bahamas releases new 'Lupus and the Kidneys' Educational Pamphlet - The Freeport News - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Volunteers 'Good To Go' For Iaaf World Relays Bahamas - Bahamas Tribune - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- In the Bahamas, the Art of Conch - Caribbean Journal - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Doug Manchester to be Bahama Papa for US? - San Diego Reader - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- Conference USA helps Old Dominion make money on Bahamas Bowl trip - Daily Press - February 7th, 2017 [February 7th, 2017]
- SaskTel beaches employees in the Bahamas - News Talk 650 CKOM - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Travel Deals - Official Nassau Paradise Island, Bahamas ... - February 9th, 2017 [February 9th, 2017]
- Cruise Liner pulls out of Bahamas for Cuba - Jamaica Observer - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- Ancient Tropical Tortoise Found in a Deep Blue Sinkhole in the Bahamas - Seeker - February 10th, 2017 [February 10th, 2017]
- In A Growing Trend, Norwegian Cruise Lines Drops Bahamas In Favor Of Cuba - Cuba Journal - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Cruise Line Drops 25 Bahamas Sailings - Cruise Radio (blog) - February 12th, 2017 [February 12th, 2017]
- Bloody weekend in Bahamas, Opposition calls for Gov't to break silence - Jamaica Observer - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Nassau, Bahamas: Where to eat, dive and lay out on the sand - amNY - February 13th, 2017 [February 13th, 2017]
- Greenslade: Bahamas Is Not In Crisis - Bahamas Tribune - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- The Oshies, Alzners, and Winniks are vacationing together in the Bahamas - Russian Machine Never Breaks - February 14th, 2017 [February 14th, 2017]
- Caps players and families have 'best Valentine's Day ever' in the Bahamas - Russian Machine Never Breaks - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- Search called off for Georgia man who went overboard in Bahamas - 11alive.com - February 15th, 2017 [February 15th, 2017]
- IXE Bahamas Bank Bid Crashes - finews.com - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Authorities Blame Gangs for the Bahamas' Bloody Start to 2017 - Insightcrime.org - February 16th, 2017 [February 16th, 2017]
- Official Launch Of 'Team Bahamas' Carifta Movement - Bahamas Tribune - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Will Klay Thompson Wear The Anta KT 2 Bahamas During NBA All ... - KicksOnFire.com - February 17th, 2017 [February 17th, 2017]
- Hefty 13ft tiger shark is a local record-breaker in the Bahamas - Earth Touch - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Hendrix students travel to Bahamas for mission trip - Log Cabin Democrat - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Silver Airways adds more non-stop flights to the Bahamas - WFLA - February 18th, 2017 [February 18th, 2017]
- Bahamas' 'Growth Potential' Down 3% Since Century Start - Bahamas Tribune - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Imf Bahamas Chief Supports Fiscal Limits - Bahamas Tribune - February 20th, 2017 [February 20th, 2017]
- Tough Approach on Tax Arrears Pays Off For Bahamas Government - Caribbean360.com (subscription) - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Privy Council Has Fourth Sitting In The Bahamas - The Bahama Journal - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Bahamas Well Represented at NY Times and Boston Globe Travel Shows - South Florida Caribbean News - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Take the Unlikely Plunge into the Beautiful Waters of The Bahamas - TravelPulse (blog) - February 21st, 2017 [February 21st, 2017]
- Bahamas Tops Guyana 4-1 At Concacaf Beach Soccer - Bahamas Tribune - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- Widely Adored Swimming Pigs Found Dead in the Bahamas - Travel+Leisure - February 22nd, 2017 [February 22nd, 2017]
- Bahamas famous swimming pigs found dead in ocean - only seven or eight left - News24 - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Swimming with pigs in the Bahamas could soon be a thing of the past as only seven of them are still alive - The Sun - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Robocall scheme that sold Bahamas cruises is in permanent dry dock - MyPalmBeachPost (blog) - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Bahamas Gets 3-0 Win Over Belize - Bahamas Tribune - February 23rd, 2017 [February 23rd, 2017]
- Three Straight: Lesly St Fleur Scores Hat Trick As Bahamas Beats Jamaica 3-2 - Bahamas Tribune - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- The Famous Pigs From The Bachelor Island Date Are Dying - Refinery29 - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Bank fees also under the radar in The Bahamas - Jamaica Gleaner - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- 20 Best Resorts in the Bahamas, Bermuda, and Turks & Caicos - Cond Nast Traveler - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Moody'S: Bahamas Deficit Will Exceed $300m This Year - Bahamas Tribune - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Bahamas Face Guadeloupe In Beach Soccer Quarter-Finals On Friday Night - Bahamas Tribune - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Beloved Swimming Pigs Of The Bahamas Found Dead - Huffington Post - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Bahamas Must 'Buffer' Against Deficit Blow-Out - Bahamas Tribune - February 24th, 2017 [February 24th, 2017]
- Guadeloupe End Bahamas Hopes Of Progress In Beach Soccer Championship - Bahamas Tribune - February 25th, 2017 [February 25th, 2017]
- Caribbean Hotel And Tourism Assoc. Helps Hurricane-Affected Haiti & The Bahamas - South Florida Caribbean News - February 25th, 2017 [February 25th, 2017]
- AG warning about 'Bahamas Grandkids Scam' - Artesia Daily Press - February 25th, 2017 [February 25th, 2017]
- Junior golfers fare well at Bahamas tournament - Cayman Compass - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Bahamas face US in fifth place playoff after beating Trinidad | The ... - Bahamas Tribune - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Swimming pigs of the Exuma Cays, Bahama's killed and tourists are ... - Metro - February 27th, 2017 [February 27th, 2017]
- Bahamas Grateful To Support From Missionary Flights International - South Florida Caribbean News - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- The Bahamas Private Developers vs. Government Run - Albany Times Union (blog) - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Amnesty Int'l critical of Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas - News ... - Jamaica Observer - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Bahamas Suffers 4-2 Loss To Usa - Bahamas Tribune - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- PRESS RELEASE: Dan Marino And Friends Bahamas Weekend 2017 Planned For May 25-27 - MiamiDolphins - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- In the Bahamas, Sharks Are Worth More Alive than Dead - Hakai Magazine - February 28th, 2017 [February 28th, 2017]
- Amnesty Int'l critical of Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas - NYCaribNews - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Several of the Bahamas' Beloved Swimming Pigs Found Dead - TownandCountrymag.com (blog) - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Bahamas famous swimming pigs dead from possible tourist feeding - MyStatesman.com - March 1st, 2017 [March 1st, 2017]
- Rosewood Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas to open in 2018 | Rus ... - RusTourismNews - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Tourists may have killed Bahamas' famous swimming pigs - New York Post - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- DNA Party: PM Offers More Harm Than Good In Office - The Bahama Journal - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Famous Swimming Pigs in the Bahamas Found Dead After Tourists Give Them Alcohol - Cosmopolitan.com - March 2nd, 2017 [March 2nd, 2017]
- Mysterious wave of death strikes the Bahamas' famous swimming pigs - Washington Post - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- IAAF World Relays Bahamas 2017 set to be biggest one yet - International Association of Athletics Federations - March 3rd, 2017 [March 3rd, 2017]
- Bahamas PM Apologizes For Flipping Bird, Saying He Lost Control While Defending Family - Caribbean360.com (subscription) - March 4th, 2017 [March 4th, 2017]