The document summarizes the findings of a study on the economic and fiscal impacts of the 2015 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Key findings include: - An estimated 41,247-41,507 true economic tourists traveled to Mobile specifically for Senior Bowl events, bringing $12.4-12.5 million in direct spending to the city. - The total economic impact to the local economy was estimated at $27.7-27.9 million for the city, $24.3-24.4 million for Mobile County, and $23.9-24 million for the state of Alabama. - The fiscal impact in the form of tax revenue was $956,497-$1,083,

1. 2015 Senior Bowl Impacts
Prepared by: Christopher M. Keshock- PhD, MBA
Executive Summary
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the Mobile Arts & Sports Association-Senior Bowl. Requests for permission to make copies of any part of this work should be mailed
to: Dr. Christopher M. Keshock, PE Building-HPELS Department, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688 or by Email at
ckeshock@southalabama.edu

2. Executive Summary
The Senior Bowl All-Star Football game featuring the nation’s top senior collegiate football players and
National Football League draft prospects has been played in Mobile, Alabama since 1951. On January
24, 2015 the annual contest made up of North and South squads was hosted again at Ladd Peebles
Stadium (36,471 recorded attendance) in downtown Mobile with practice sessions and ancillary events
taking place the week prior to the Saturday afternoon contest. Efforts were made in this study to
determine the contributing impacts of the 2015 Senior Bowl to the host city area of Mobile, Mobile
County, and the State of Alabama. On site field-intercept survey data was collected during Senior Bowl
week and on game day to determine the economic and fiscal impacts resulting from the incremental
spending by true economic tourists specifically visiting the region due to Senior Bowl activities.
Secondary data and relevant literature was also used to estimate added-on monetary, social and
marketing impact reciprocal values to the designated impact regions. Major findings are illustrated in
the Executive Summary, however the full report should be read in its entirety to gain a better
understanding of the principles, methodologies, concepts, and assumptions associated with the study
outcomes and interpretations of data.
• An audience audit of game day survey respondents revealed the typical Senior Bowl fan was a
39 year old, married white-male who was in a group of 3 people and attended at least 2 events
coordinated by the Senior Bowl. Responses of those in attendance at other ancillary events
returned the following profiles: Ladd Peebles Stadium practices-African American married male,
44 years old, and a group size of 2.3 persons; Fairhope practice- White married male, 49 years
old, and a group size of 2.5; and the Fan Expo-White married male, 40 years old, and a group
size of 3.0.
• Based on 2015 ticket sales records, complimentary pass holders, and tailgaters an estimated
39,388 to 39,771 individuals were on hand at Ladd Peebles Stadium on game day and used as

3. a starting point to determine out-of-town visitors and those residents residing in report impact
regions.
• Based on survey response data collected from Senior Bowl spectators (n=872) roughly 69% of
all respondents had a home residence outside the City of Mobile; 60% were from outside Mobile
County; and 35% traveled to attend the Senior Bowl from another State.
• After adjusting for time switchers, casual visitors, and only those spectators in Mobile specifically
to attend the Senior Bowl game the adjusted population of “true economic tourist” for those
traveling from locations outside the City was 68%, for those coming from outside Mobile County
58%, and 34% from outside the state of Alabama.
• The combined population of Senior Bowl Game Day Spectators, Practice Session Fans, Senior
Bowl Experience Visitors, and Road Race Participants resulted in an estimated 35,472 to 35,732
visitors who specifically traveled to Mobile, Alabama to attend these Senior Bowl events.
• Response data from business traveler surveys revealed 96% traveled to work the Senior Bowl
from an origin outside the City of Mobile; 95% were from outside Mobile County; and 90% were
from Out-of-State.
• Combining the total Senior Bowl Road Race Participants, Senior Bowl Week and Game-Day
Attendees with the approximated Business Travelers the total estimated true economic tourists
who travelled to the impact region of Mobile from an origin outside the City was 41,247 to 41,507
visitors. These two polar values are referred to in this report as the range of visitors or “true
economic tourists” since these people traveled to Mobile because of the Senior Bowl and brought
new money to the area creating a change in the Mobile economy. Total visitor true economic
tourists for the impact regions of Mobile County and State of Alabama were an estimated
(36,049-36,271) and (23,648-23,779) respectively.
• Overall, sample subject visitor response frequencies returned over 50% of all Senior Bowl
visitors were in Mobile for at least 2 days or more and the average group size consisted of 3 or
more people.

4. • Based upon the on-site event survey response data collected at Senior Bowl events and
weighted average adjustments to lodging, intent of trip, displacement and ticket sales purchase
receipts the average spending per-person per day for true economic tourists living outside the
City of Mobile was $168.21 and for the total length of stay in Mobile was an estimated $336.42
(2 days); for attendees traveling from outside Mobile County the results indicate $162.88 per-
person per day spend and $325.76 for the total length of stay in Mobile (2 days), and those with
a residence outside the State spent $154.64 per-person per day and $463.92 for the 3 days
while in town to attend Senior Bowl events.
• Of the business travelers in attendance for Senior Bowl events the average time spent in Mobile
was near 5 days and 4 nights with an average group size of 3.75 persons and who spent an
average of $168.47 per-person per day and a total of $631.75 while in Mobile during Senior Bowl
Week.
• The direct spending accrued by those specifically traveling to the impact region (attendees and
business travelers) for the Senior Bowl brought an estimated $12,424,096 to $12,482,900 to the
City; $11,079,870 to $11,127,398 to Mobile County; and $10,650,009 to $10,690,838 to the
State of Alabama. Part of this direct spending resulted from the roughly 20,093 hotel room-nights
booked in the Mobile area during Senior Bowl Week.
• The subsequent rounds of re-spending from incremental visitor expenditures (multiplier effect)
created an economic impact of $21,806,775 to $21,909,987 to Mobile; $19,447,388 to
$19,503,809 to Mobile County; and $18,764,560 to $18,692,896 to the State of Alabama for
hosting Senior Bowl events in Mobile, Alabama.
• The operational output or incremental expenditures effect from Senior Bowl organizational
purchases of local Mobile goods and services was an estimated $1,434,498 resulting in an
economic impact of $2,517,832 to the City.

5. • The total City tax generated from Senior Bowl-related incremental cash flows resulted in a fiscal
impact (multiplier) of $956,497 to $1,083,291; with Mobile County tax impact $235,513-$236,469
and State of Alabama tax impact $843,293-$846,821 created for these sectors.
• The fiscal impact or reciprocal value of public dollars ($135,000 city grant) provided to Senior
Bowl 2015 garnered an estimated 372% to 435% return on investment (ROI) to Mobile via
tourism related sales tax ($637,665 to $722,194). The combined City, County, and State tax
fiscal impact produced by 2014-2015 Senior Bowl events was estimated at $1,735,304 to
$1,866,583.
• The total monetary economic impact from hosting the Senior Bowl in Mobile generated from true
economic tourists, tax revenue, organization output, retained expenditures, and sponsorships is
a conservative amount near $27,706,913 for the local economy; whereas the optimistic impact
is near $27,941,585.
• The total economic impact of the Senior Bowl to Mobile County was $24,286,104 to $24,375,785
and to the State of Alabama $23,924,668 to $23,999,860.
• Roughly 132 jobs (for every $104,692 in tourism revenue = 1 FTE job) are created from Senior
Bowl direct spending. Combined the Senior Bowl paid $563,239 to full-time, part-time, and city
employees for the 2014-2015 year.
• The publicity, media coverage, and Senior Bowl broadcasting reach capacity via NFL Network
airings has created increased destination/event image transfer exposure. The potential revenue
generation based on repeat trip survey response frequencies for Senior Bowl attendees (75%)
amounts to at least $6,260,210 in anticipated future travel revenue to the City each year if the
Senior Bowl continues to be held in Mobile.

6. Dr. Christopher M. Keshock (primary researcher and report author) was retained by the Reese’s Senior
Bowl to evaluate the economic and fiscal impacts of the 2014-2015 Reese’s Senior Bowl operations
and related cash flows resulting from its College All-Star football game held on January 24, 2015. A
research design agenda was developed and applicable research methodologies applied toward the
collection of primary data at the 2015 Reese’s Senior Bowl game, at “Senior Bowl Week” events leading
up to the game, and other community experiences coordinated by the Senior Bowl offices. On-site field
intercept survey responses were collected to chiefly assess the amount of change in the Mobile
economy resulting from Senior Bowl “True Economic Tourists”. In addition, other frequency response
patterns from the data collected were analyzed and compared to justify the “public good” returned from
hosting the Senior Bowl on the Gulf Coast. Secondary information provided by the Senior Bowl
(attendance, organizational spending, service costs, sponsorship values, media exposure) and related
sport event literature was also used in this report to further examine the costs and benefits associated
with hosting a post-season football bowl game to the host location and contiguous areas.
Any questions on the merits of this report and its findings should be directed to the author of the
study for clarification on the content and the use of data sets, computations of numerical values and
averages, standard deviations, effect size and significance or confidence levels. The author, does not
assume responsibility for any changes or revisions that may be made to the source data. It should be
noted the findings and interpretations in this report are based on the most updated and available data,
theoretical constructs aligned with the region’s economy, professional prudence, and inferences
regarding event values. Since environmental markets, buying power, and industrial conditions change;
data may not warrant exact and everlasting results. Every attempt was made to use the most recent
information. It is recommended that individuals using portions of this report give careful consideration
to local, regional, and national economic conditions in the extrapolation of findings toward business
decisions, governmental policies, and other regulatory applications.
Christopher M. Keshock, PhD, MBA
Professor of Sport Management
University of South Alabama
ckeshock@southalabama.edu
(251) 461-1613