The 2015 college football season hasn’t even had times for games announced and the City of Bridgeport has already produced a major win. Greater Bridgeport Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Board Chairman Drew Pomeroy confirmed this week that four of the seven teams visiting Morgantown next year to battle West Virginia University in football will by flying into and staying in Bridgeport.

 

“As of (Thursday) we have initial commitments from Oklahoma State, Texas, Georgia Southern and Liberty University,” said Pomeroy. “As matter of fact, we had the OSU commitment within 15 minutes of the Big 12 announcing the 2015 Football Schedule. I could not believe that.”

 

While that speaks highly of the area, it also speaks highly of the efforts of Pomeroy and others to make sure the two teams that stayed this year in Bridgeport prior to their games – Texas Christian University and Baylor — felt welcome. Coach Art Briles of Baylor actually sent Bridgeport Conference Center General Manager Scott Duarte a hand-written note thanking him for the great hospitality, while TCU Associate Athletic Director Michael Sinquefield raved to Connect-Bridgeport about how the team and key alumni and others were treated.

 

With that success in the pocket, Pomeroy worked with Duarte about seeing who they could land in 2015. He also joined with North Central West Virginia Airport Director Rick Rock in the talks on how to secure those travel parties to help boost the area’s economy. Pomeroy said the efforts of those two individuals can’t be sold short.

 

“I continue to sing the praises of the Wingate (where the teams stayed), airport and Conference Center. We all saw in the feedback from the two schools that visited Bridgeport this past season and it was overflowing with praise of those entities,” said Pomeroy.

 

Pomeroy said those three are the locals involved. He also said two former WVU sports executives have also played a key part. Apparently, the process is working as only three teams at the moment – one of which is Maryland and will bus to Morgantown – have yet to commit to staying in Bridgeport.

 

“The blueprint has been perfect.  As a matter of fact, we have added some takeoffs to the blueprint modifying it to meet the needs of some other similar travel parties,” said Pomeroy.

 

Although he wouldn’t divulge the information, the “blueprint” will be used in relationship with a “major” announcement expected at the beginning of 2015. It will involve Bridgeport, but Pomeroy said the rest of the information will come at a later date.

 

“We will have a big announcement of national importance at the turn of the year.  We used the Big 12 football footprint to solidify that deal,” he said.

 

If it’s utilizing the same procedures, that almost certainly means more visitors to Bridgeport. And that means good news for the economy.

 

So how much of an impact does it have on Bridgeport, Harrison County and North Central West Virginia?

 

The travel parties, including the teams and staff, usually provide more than 150 visitors to the area. TCU, however, brought in an additional plane of fans and alumni that totaled nearly an additional 100 people who stayed the night after their game and ate at local eateries and spent money at other venues.

 

“It is really hard for me to quantify the economic impact.  There certainly is a direct hit for the airport, Conference Center and Wingate Hotel. To me the impact is a bit more far-reaching,” Pomeroy said.

 

“During the visits that we had last season we had numerous members of the travel party eat at local restaurants.  Additionally fans typically travel to the same location as the teams. So certainly there had to be some spillover from that.  But more importantly, this is something that we can hang our hat on from a tourism perspective which will help diversify our traveler profile in Bridgeport.” 

 

The remaining two teams coming to Morgantown in 2015 are Texas Tech and Iowa State. Pomeroy said they hope to secure them as well.

 

“It is our goal that if your team requires overnight travel into North Central West Virginia for that team to choose Bridgeport as its landing spot.  That goal is more far reaching than Division I football travel.  It extends to the teams of the (Mountain East Conference), youth sports or any other team that travels through the area,” he ended.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Baylor players departing their plane at the NCWV Airport, while the middle picture shows the Bears loading up on food at the Bridgeport Conference Center. Bottom photo, by www.benqueenphotography.com, is of CVB Chairman Drew Pomeroy.