BattleFrog on Friday was announced as the new title sponsor of the Fiesta Bowl, and the obstacle racing series "figures to introduce itself to a much wider audience through the nationally watched Jan. 1 game," according to Ronald Hansen of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Neither the Fiesta Bowl nor BattleFrog "would discuss terms of the sponsorship." BattleFrog CEO Ramiro Ortiz, a former banker who served on the Orange Bowl's organizing committee for more than 20 years, said that the company's new partnership "helps tie it more closely to the kind of athletes who take part in their events, which are modeled after courses used by Navy SEALs." BattleFrog first gained "wide exposure when ESPN televised several of its events, pitting 16 collegiate teams against each other, on two of its channels this summer." The net, which will broadcast the Fiesta Bowl, has said that it "plans to show more BattleFrog competitions next year." For now, BattleFrog is "trying to grow its presence across the country." Ortiz said that it "held five events" last year and 14 events in '15. Next year, it "plans to hold 44." Its first-ever event on the West Coast "is in San Diego on Jan. 23 and BattleFrog comes to Phoenix a week later." IEG Senior VP/Marketing Jim Andrews, whose firm researches sponsorships, said, "It's not a household name or a product category. You've not seen an events producer take a large naming rights deal like this, but I think it speaks to how hot right now that category is" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 12/5).
