AutoNation Sponsors College Bowl Game, Will Raise Money For Breast Cancer Research

Ft. Lauderdale-based auto retailer AutoNation on Thursday announced that it "will sponsor a college football bowl game starting next year, with a portion of proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation," according to Doreen Hemlock of the South Florida SUN-SENTINEL. The AutoNation Cure Bowl will pit "teams from the American Athletic Conference and Sunbelt Conference at the Citrus Bowl Stadium" in Orlando, "the kickoff to a season of nearly three dozen bowl games." AutoNation "has a contract as the title sponsor for an initial two years, with an option for three years more" and "expects the bowl to contribute at least" $1M to the foundation in its first two editions. The first Cure Bowl "is slated for Dec. 19, 2015," on CBS Sports Network (South Florida SUN-SENTINEL, 10/24). Orlando Sports Foundation Exec Dir Alan Gooch said that the deal "has been in the works for some time, but they wanted to wait until October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to make it official." AutoNation Senior VP/Corporate Communications & Public Policy Marc Cannon said that the company "would be involved in the game all the way including raising money." Cannon: "We are going to make sure that the inaugural game between the proceeds, the money that we're donating that we're going to raise $1 million. That is our pledge to you, to make sure we get to the $1 million mark" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 10/24). AutoNation Chair & CEO Mike Jackson said that the company "has been working on the sponsorship for a year, but it wouldn’t have happened if it were a traditional bowl game, without the charitable tie-in." Jackson said the sponsorship is “expensive.” AUTO NEWS' Amy Wilson noted that Jackson "wouldn’t disclose a dollar amount." AutoNation "will advertise during the game and have marketing activities surrounding it" (AUTONEWS.com, 10/23).