The Pac-12 will have a presenting sponsor of its football championship game for the first time this season.
Gasoline retail store 76, a Phillips 66 brand with deep roots in California, signed on as presenting sponsor in a deal spearheaded by Pac-12 Networks Executive Vice President Neil Davis.
“Having a retail partner like this really helps build the brand of the game,” said Davis, who has led the integrated sales and marketing team at Pac-12 Networks, the conference’s media and marketing arm, for the last three years.
Financial terms of the multiyear deal were not disclosed.
The Pac-12 football championship will be broadcast Friday, Dec. 2 by Fox at Levi’s Stadium, where the title game is scheduled to be for the next two years.
The orange 76 logo, which was unveiled in 1962, will be integrated into the marks for the championship game for use on-site and across the conference’s linear and digital outlets. The Pac-12 cannot sell the presenting sponsorship for Fox’s broadcast, so that will be a separate negotiation between 76 and Fox.
Much of 76’s promotion will be focused on the Northern California region because that’s where the game is played. Davis said 76’s planning includes a sweepstakes and heavy in-store promotion by the stores in the area. The company also will have hospitality for its employees and guests at the game.
The Pac-12 also has Chevron as an energy sponsor that promotes a series on science, technology, engineering and math. The series runs on the Pac-12’s linear and digital channels. Chevron sponsors the conference basketball tournament as well.
The conference announced last week that it has signed California-based Opus Bank to an official partnership. Opus, which replaces Bank of the West, will have an array of assets, ranging from advertising across the Pac-12 Networks to a presence at league championship events and an extensive digital package. The agreement also designates Opus as the presenting sponsor for TV shows like the “#12 Best franchise,” as well as Pac-12 football game day, the gymnastics meet of the week and the baseball game of the week.
