The Valley of the Sun Bowl Foundation and Buffalo Wild Wings yesterday formally announced a deal making the restaurant chain the title sponsor of the annual bowl game in Tempe, Ariz., between the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences. The restaurant replaces Tempe-based Insight, which had been the title sponsor since '97 (
Valley of the Sun Bowl Foundation). SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Terry Lefton reports the deal is "for the next three years." Officials "would not release pricing, but the deal was being shopped" at $2M. Assets include "six ad units within the Dec. 29 ESPN game telecast, opening and closing billboards, broadcast graphics and inclusion in the game logo, which will appear at midfield, on each 25-yard line and on the game trophy" (
SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/23 issue). Fiesta Bowl Exec Dir Robert Shelton, whose organization operates the game, said that Buffalo Wild Wings "will be the title sponsor for two years and that either side has an option to extend the deal for another year for a total of three years." In Phoenix, Craig Harris notes Tempe-based Insight Enterprises "ended its 14-year relationship with the bowl early this year even though two years remained on the sponsorship contract." Filings with the SEC indicate that Insight "likely owed the bowl" roughly $2M each for the '12 and '13 games (
ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/24).
