Border Bowl has history of producing college-bound players

Border Bowl organizer Ronnie Moses spoke to the Williamsburg Kiwanis Club Thursday.

If history is any indicator, about 80 percent of the players participating in Saturday’s 2012 National Guard Border Bowl will sign scholarships to play football at the college level.

Ronnie Moses, who is on the Border Bowl committee, told the Williamsburg Kiwanis Club Thursday that 80 out of the 102 players in last year’s game signed scholarships as a direct result of the bowl game.

This isn’t including players, who had already signed scholarships prior to the game.

This year 103 football players will be participating in the fifth annual game. Currently Tennessee leads the series three to one.

The game will be televised live on WYMT.

Moses said that the recruits come from all over Kentucky and Tennessee.

"This is one of the best teams we have probably ever seen in Kentucky, he added.

The Border Bowl ranks in the top five regional games in the nation coming in at number four. The number is based largely on stadium attendance for the game and television audience.

One year over 7,500 people attended the game.

"It is a good stage for our town and our community," he said.

Moses estimates that it costs over $70,000 to put the game on each year using a shoestring budget.

Williamsburg Tourism Director Alvin Sharpe said that it is difficult to tell exactly what kind of tourism impact this has on Williamsburg, but he noted that 432 people are expected for Friday night’s banquet, and most of them will spend the night in Williamsburg or other surrounding towns.

The event has hotels and motels in Williamsburg and Jellico already sold out.

Moses added that in addition to the players’ family members, many of those staying in town are college coaches and recruiters.
This year the game will be played on Saturday, January 7 with kick-off at 12:30 p.m. at James H. Taylor, II Stadium in Williamsburg, home of the University of the Cumberlands Patriots.

Attendance at the 2011 Border Bowl held at the University of the Cumberlands James H. Taylor, II Stadium, in Williamsburg, exceeded 4,000, including more than 20 colleges.

The 2012 Border Bowl Committee is hoping to increase the attendance to this year’s game with added activities and events for the fans. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for all students. In addition, all military and their family members will receive free admission to the game.