The Current Sauce • KNWD

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Purple Media Network

Purple Media Network

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Let’s talk game guarantee

   After a 4-7 season last year, going up against a big team like Texas A&M might not be seen as the best strategic move. $515,000 says otherwise.

   As previously reported in The Current Sauce, that is the amount paid by A&M to Northwestern State University to play the game, which resulted in a brutal 57-7 loss for the Demons. But where does all that money go, exactly?

   “My understanding is it goes to the general athletic fund,” said Sports Information Director Doug Ireland. “It does not go solely to football. It helps support scholarships and all sorts of different expenses for all of our athletic teams.”

   It turns out such payments are not at all uncommon.

   “Of the 11 Southland Conference schools that play football, 10 are playing at least one [Football Bowl Subdivision] guarantee game,” NSU Director of Athletics Greg Burke said. “Two of those schools are playing two guarantee games.”

   The university benefitted from almost $2 million worth of earned media as a result of the game, according to Director of Marketing and Branding Cole Gentry.

   “I think it was absolutely worth it,” said junior quarterback Shelton Eppler. “We got our name out there.”

   The game was followed by a more encouraging home opener Sept. 8, which resulted in a 34-7 win for the Demons. The team will head to Beaumont, Texas, Sept. 15 to face the Lamar Cardinals on their home turf.

With contributed reporting from Keator Poleman.

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