Buffalo Wild Wings is "exercising an option to check out" of its title sponsorship deal for the Tempe, Ariz., December bowl game after just two years, according to Terry Lefton in this week's SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL. The casual dining chain "was paying about $3 million a year" as part of the deal. Buffalo Wild Wings was "widely acclaimed for the branding achieved at and around the game." However, a move to pit teams from the Pac-12 and Big Ten against each other is "likely a less desirable matchup" than the previous Big Ten-Big 12 matchup. Also contributing to the decision not to renew was the game's "relatively late" post-10:00pm ET kickoff time and the fact that some Buffalo Wild Wings spots "were so loyal to the UFC that they showed MMA fights" instead of the bowl. The departure leaves both of the Fiesta Bowl Committee's postseason games without title sponsors following Tostitos move to leave the Fiesta Bowl (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/16 issue). In Phoenix, Russ Wiles notes the former Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl is "legally known as the Valley of the Sun Bowl." However, Fiesta Bowl Exec Dir Mike Nealy said that he "hopes for a long-term sponsorship deal that could highlight the game's connection to the Phoenix metro area or Arizona." Wiles notes while the Fiesta Bowl Committee is "directly negotiating with potential sponsors" for the game, it "doesn't have a role in naming the Fiesta Bowl for the coming season." Naming rights to all College Football Playoff games are sold by ESPN (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/17).
