Armed Forces Bowl organizers on Friday announced that security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin will be the game's title sponsor "under a three-year agreement" through '16, according to Jimmy Burch of the FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM. The first Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl will "be played in December at Amon G. Carter Stadium." Financial terms of the new deal were not released, but Lockheed Martin officials have "an option to extend their stay as title sponsor beyond the initial three-year window." Armed Forces Bowl Exec Dir Brant Ringler said that the "fit is a good one ... for a bowl with a long history of honoring the armed forces community and inviting the service academies as participants."
Lockheed Martin "replaces Bell Helicopter, the game’s title sponsor the past eight years." Although headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin "has strong ties to North Texas."Ringler said that Ft. Worth-based Bell Helicopter "will remain affiliated with the bowl in a lesser sponsorship role."
Burch noted existing agreements "provide opportunities for Army, Navy and Air Force to return to Fort Worth in contests the next six seasons to face potential opponents from the Big 12 and Big Ten conferences" (
FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 2/8).
