. . . is illustrated in the H-Media article today by Luke Creasy, IMO. Creasy noted that in MU's appearance at the MB Bowl, the attendance given exceed the total combined attendance at the previous TWO MB bowls. Additionally, the article indicates that MU sold their entire allotment of 5,000 tickets, and from what we're hearing the number of HERD fans present exceeded that number!
To me, this cannot be more positive for MU going forward in several ways. We are now, as a SBC member an "ESPN School". We know what that can mean when it comes to some possible good regular season telecasts of HERD games going forward. Same applies to future Bowl games/matchups, many of which ESPN controls, manages, etc. Not sure what kind of TV ratings the MB bowl garnered on Monday, given the less than highly desirable time slot. But I have to think that, absent the HERD managing to land a coveted New Year's Day bowl slot, there will be some fairly decent bowls, perhaps some of those with "pool" matchups who may be looking for an attractive game match-up, say, between a decent Power team from the ACC, or other Power League against a high-quality G-5 school, that MU's fan attendance at MB, along with our overall success this season, would makes Marshall a strong and attractive candidate for such a slot. And I'm sure that those factors are not lost on the powers that be at ESPN.
2024 offers MU some additional opportunities also with our schedule containing TWO Power opponents, VA Tech and NC State, both from the ACC! Added bonus being one, against Tech, is at the JOAN, and hopefully ESPN will find a way to give that matchup an important telecast slot somewhere on its networks!