Building a Rivalry: The Friends of Coal Bowl brings state together in marquee football matchup

By T.L. HEADLEY
For the WV Executive

There is nothing quite like it. It is probably the most talked about and anticipated sporting event in West Virginia. It splits the state down the middle while at the same time bringing it together for a single day every autumn.
The annual Friends of Coal Bowl brings together the state’s two largest universities,   Marshall University’s Thundering Herd and the West Virginia University Mountaineers -- each with legendary football programs - with bragging rights for the state and the Governor’s Trophy on the line. Sponsored by the Friends of Coal, a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving the state’s coal industry, the game is far more than just another football game. In just its fifth year of a seven-year series, the game has become the centerpiece of the state’s football calendar. It sells out stadiums, swamps area hotels and fills the pages of newspapers and broadcast newscasts for weeks before the game. In fact, it is hard to escape the talk about “the game.”

Putting it Together

A football matchup between the two schools was talked about for several years before newly elected Gov. Joe Manchin made it happen in 2006. Both Marshall and the West Virginia University were at the top of their respective college conferences, churning out national championships and bowl wins, and sending dozens of players on to play in the National Football League.

Despite the seeming natural rivalry, it was difficult to get the game on the schedule. College football schedules are made years in advance and the available dates for non-conference games are extremely limited. 
When it was finally scheduled, the Friends of Coal organization stepped up to sponsor the event, an appropriate role for an industry that is the centerpiece of the state’s economy.

“We have been pleased to serve as the title sponsor for this important rivalry,” said West Virginia Coal Association and Friends of Coal President Bill Raney. “Our industry is the major industry in West Virginia, and we believe our participation puts a spotlight on the proud working people of the coal industry."

In an interview at the time, WVU Associate Athletic Director Mike Parsons said, “They are the ideal sponsor. They represent one of the leading industries in the state. Many of their members are supporters of both schools already. It is an opportunity to enhance their image in the state.”

Getting tickets for the game is almost as impossible as getting tickets for the NASCAR night race at Bristol or even the Super Bowl. The event has sold out all four times it has been played, -- three times in Morgantown and once in Huntington.

An estimated 280,000 people have attended the first four games of the series, with an average of 70,000 people moving through the turnstiles at each game.

According to media researchers, the event draws an audience of perhaps 1.5 million people each year – a total of 6 million people over the four years. They say each of these people is exposed to a minimum of three references to the game every day for the 30 days preceding the event – an estimated 45 million impressions per year. 

According to the industry research firm Metro Monitor, the Friends of Coal Bowl was featured in more than 230 television spots during the month preceding the game this past year, with thousands more radio and  newspaper references.

In terms of direct economic impact, estimates indicate:

According to estimates in 2006 by the Greater Morgantown Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the game should generate about $3.7 million for the local economy of the host community during the weekend. The projected economic development impact was calculated using a formula developed for the Morgantown area by the Destination Marketing International Association.

A Little Piece of West Virginia

The Governor’s Trophy – given to the winner of the game each year – is symbolic of this tie to the coal industry.
Made completely in West Virginia of West Virginia created composites, the trophy is made of a carbon base, a glass pedestal, and football-shaped piece of coal enclosed in glass. The trophy was designed by artist Rick Mogielski. The component parts of the trophy are all made in West Virginia.

Providing for the Future

In addition to the economic impact of the game itself, it generates support for the Friends of Coal scholarships at both universities.
At Marshall University, the $2,500 annual scholarships have been awarded to nine students since being started in 2007. The students have come from Logan, Mingo, Lincoln, Cabell, Kanawha and Mercer counties with majors running across the spectrum, including science, medicine and business among others.
At West Virginia University, the $2,500 annual scholarship has been awarded to three students since its inception, including Noel Devine, the Mountaineer’s standout running back and likely contender for the Heisman Trophy.
“The impact of these scholarships on the lives of these students and on the future of West Virginia is immeasurable and goes far beyond the dollar amount,” Raney said.

This Year and Beyond

West Virginia has won all of the editions of the Friends of Coal Bowl. The next game will be played on Friday, Sept. 10, on ESPN.  The current contract ends in 2012. West Virginia University and Marshall University are in discussions to renew the series, but nothing has been signed at this time.