Most folks attend a football game to enjoy themselves in the moment, whether by playing or watching. The game can have a purpose beyond the immediate outcome, though.
Watching Army play North Texas in the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl certainly proved entertaining, as the Black Knights defeated the Eagles in a back-and-forth overtime contest. Beyond the Cotton Bowl, the organizers hope certain effects linger after that final whistle.
I asked Brant Ringler about those effects in this video interview. How might participation in a bowl game help the programs involved? What do the student-athletes get out of it? Is there a charitable impact? The ZHODB has historically included initiatives related to first responders and, through the Heart of Dallas nonprofit, awards monies to area charities. Ringler works for ESPN and serves as Executive Director for both the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl and the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl held in Fort Worth.
