USA Today for the first time has sold title sponsorship of its coaches' football poll to Amway. The multiyear deal was announced this morning. Amway kicked off the deal with a full-page ad this morning in the newspaper. The agreement with Amway provides the sponsor with naming rights to the coaches' poll, a new fan poll and the AFCA coaches' trophy. The deal was sold by the USA Today Sports Media Group. Formerly known as the USA Today Coaches' Poll, which runs 17 weeks throughout the season, the new poll will be called the Amway Coaches' Poll. In conjunction with the coaches' poll, Amway also will sponsor the Amway Fan Poll, a place for fans to vote online and see side-by-side analysis of their own Top 25 next to the coaches' poll. The AFCA Coaches' Trophy, featuring the Waterford Crystal football, is awarded to the No. 1-ranked team in the coaches' poll at the end of the season. Amway's program with USA Today and the AFCA will include advertising (print, digital, mobile), social media, PR, events, and college football ambassadors for Amway events. USA Today Sports Media Group President Dave Morgan, along with VP/Sports Marketing Properties John von Stade, led the talks for their side, while Michigan-based Amway was represented by Norris Sports Group's Bill Norris. The AFCA is represented by FishBait Marketing (
Michael Smith, Staff Writer). CBSSPORTS.com's Dennis Dodd noted Dr Pepper had been the "corporate sponsor of the award since 2009." The glass football had "become a symbol of the national championship" in the BCS era, but the AFCA has been told that the football "will not be considered the official championship trophy of the new College Football Playoff" (
CBSSPORTS.com, 2/18).
