Friday January 3, 2014
What is it?
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl (AAB) is a year-long national-level marketing program that supports Army recruiting, enhances the perception of the Army, and builds understanding and advocacy amongst key audiences. The AAB program culminates in the AAB Bowl Game which is the nation’s oldest and largest high-school football all-star bowl game. Ninety players, 125 marching band musicians and a team of elite Color Guard members are selected from across the country in the fall and arrive in San Antonio, Texas, for a week of leadership, sportsmanship and Army experience panels and events. Each player is paired with a Soldier mentor to share their Army Strong story throughout the week.
The 2014 AAB will be played on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014, at 1 p.m. EST, from the San Antonio Alamodome, and will be broadcast live on NBC.
What has the Army done?
Over the last 13 years, the AAB program has associated the Army with excellence, has grown to be the premier high-school all-star football game in the nation, and provided access to high schools throughout the country to enhance our recruiting efforts.
The program consists of a Selection Tour, Regional Combines and Pro-Football Hall of Fame events that take place across the U.S. and culminate during game week with the Army Strong Zone, National Combines, COI Tour and the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game.
Through title sponsorship, the AAB program allows the Army to engage scholars, athletes, musicians, coaches, teachers and administrators, through face-to-face engagement and multi-platform communications, about: the Army, its core values, unexpected opportunities for education, training and skills, and the life-long foundations for success that service can bring. The AAB program provides the Army with a unique opportunity to tell the Army story and develop partnerships with key stakeholders and influencers.
What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?
During the 2013 and 2014 program, the Army partnered with the Pro-Football Hall of Fame (PFHOF) to recognize ten scholar-athletes with the Award for Excellence, highlighting student-athletes across the country on not only athletic achievement, but excellence in academics and community service. Next year, the PFHOF Award program, due to its success, will be expanded beyond the All-American Bowl program. In addition, the Army has partnered with VEX Robotics Competition to showcase some of the nation’s most talented minds in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This competition enables the Army to showcase its cutting-edge technology and the importance of STEM to our nation’s security and prosperity.
Why is this important to the Army?
The objective of marketing is to man and preserve the high-quality all-volunteer Army by reinforcing the Army’s reputation as a valued institution by communicating to key stakeholders why the Army matters; why it should be valued; and why they should support, recommend or serve as part of it. The AAB program is a key component of the marketing program.
Resources:
Subscribe to STAND-TO! to learn about the U.S. Army initiatives.