Impact of the 2020 TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Boston College and Cincinnati fans spent their New Year’s Day in Birmingham’s Uptown District.

They are in town for the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl which kicks off Thursday at 2 p.m.

Fans participated in their school’s pep rally. Many said it was their first time in Birmingham.

“I just like the diversity here. People are so friendly. I mean, we are kind of back from the north. So the friendliness and the hospitality of the southern people is very evident here,” said John Ney, a Cincinnati fan from Canton, Ohio.

"I mean, it’s a great town. It’s a lot like Cleveland, where I’m from. It’s a lot of fun, having a great time,” said Tom Grosel, a Boston College fan.

According to the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the bowl game has produced an economic impact of $151 million for the metro area in the last 13 years.

“It is a great economic driver for the whole metro area. You’ve got all these fans from Boston College and Cincinnati in town, hopefully buying gas, buying whatever they buy. And then having a good time,” said Mark Meadows, the bowl’s executive director.

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