By Duwayne Escobedo
Picture full hotels on the beach. A bustling downtown. Packed restaurants.
And, oh yeah, the University of West Florida Division II football team drawing record crowds in 2016 to the waterfront stadium on Pensacola Bay.
Football coaches, sports administrators and the West Florida president said at a press conference where they unveiled the team’s helmet that they all expect those things to happen once the Argonauts suit up for their first football season in 2016 in the competitive Gulf South Conference.
The university, located about 20-30 minutes north of downtown, has looked to make a connection with the Pensacola community for years and football may be one way to do it.
West Florida President Judy Bense said, not only that, she expects it to help another long voiced tourism problem—increasing the fall shoulder season at Pensacola Beach.
“I see us filling hotels on the beach with the fans of our visiting teams,†she said. “Fall and winter are one of the most beautiful seasons at the beach. I see this becoming a destination game for fans from Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi. They love Pensacola and it’s beautiful.â€
The Argos new coach Pete Shinnick, who has coached for seven years and started the program at UNC-Pembroke, sees UWF fans flooding downtown restaurants and businesses near the Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
“Everyone is very excited about what Saturdays in the fall will look like,†said Shinnick, who took Pembroke to the playoffs faster than any other start-up program. “I see it as a tremendous opportunity to connect at a different level with the Pensacola community, as well as downtown.â€
West Florida plays its first intra-squad game this coming Oct. 17 at the Community Maritime Park. Division II football games average about 3,116 fans per game and the Blue Wahoos ballpark seats 5,038 maximum. Currently, there are no plans in the works for UWF building its own stadium on its campus, although it hasn’t been ruled out.
West Florida Director of Athletics Dave Scott pointed to the $50,000 donation Monday at Seville Quarter from Eric Nickelsen, the past president of the Gator Booster Inc., as an example of how the university will connect with locals, many who root for NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference teams.
“In my 25 years here, I don’t think Pensacola has looked as nice as it does now,†Scott said. “Football is one way to help bridge the gap between the university and downtown. I look forward to that day when we will look out over the water and see a full stadium.â€
