Comcast-Spectacor’s Front Row Marketing has won an agency shootout to represent the former Insight Bowl for the sale of its title sponsorship, other sales assignments and sales analytics related to that bowl game, and sales assignments for the Fiesta Bowl.
The win adds to Front Row’s portfolio of collegiate properties.
“You can make a good case this game is the best non-BCS bowl, and we are happy to be growing our collegiate portfolio on a more national basis,” said Front Row President Chris Lencheski, adding that some joint arrangements are possible.
The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl title sponsorship has another two years.
Insight was title sponsor of the ESPN-televised game, which is normally a Big Ten/Big 12 matchup and is played at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. It began as the Copper Bowl in 1989, but Insight had title sponsored it from 1997. For the first four years of the relationship, it was known as the insight.com Bowl. Without a title sponsor for the time being, the game is being called The Valley of the Sun Bowl.
The relationship also gives Comcast a foot in the door for a piece of forthcoming renovations at Sun Devil Stadium.
Agency sources said the title sponsorship was being shopped for around $2 million a year. Lencheski would not comment on pricing but said the package includes ESPN ad inventory, signage and hospitality. He said interest has been expressed by financial services, retail and quick-service restaurant brands. He also noted the sponsorship possibilities in using the former Insight Bowl and Fiesta Bowl, since the games are separated by a week.
