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Earning its stripes: College football’s Sun Bowl re-branded as Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

Posted at 6:46 PM, Aug 20, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-20 18:52:23-04

The Sun Bowl on December 30, 2010 in El Paso, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

EL PASO, Texas (SunBowl.org) – Tuesday, a new era of college football begins as Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes® is announced as the title sponsor of the newly-named Tony the Tiger® Sun Bowl. The postseason contest will feature a power-five matchup between members of the ACC and Pac-12 at the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on Dec. 31, 2019, and will be televised for the 52nd consecutive year on CBS (News 3 in Hampton Roads). The agreement between the Sun Bowl Association and Frosted Flakes® was brokered by Denver-based Impression Sports & Entertainment.

The multiyear partnership is marked by Tony the Tiger® being the first mascot to lend his name to a college football bowl game. What’s more, Tony is returning the Sun Bowl to its inaugural mission — helping kids play sports — something that hasn’t been a focus since the birth of the Sun Bowl.

In 1935, the first-ever Sun Bowl was played to benefit underprivileged children and to finance improvements for the El Paso High School Stadium. In 2019, the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl will align with Tony’s “Mission Tiger” initiative, raising awareness and funds for at-risk middle school sports programs through a multiyear partnership with nonprofit DonorsChoose.org. Whether a team has been eliminated, needs to upgrade training equipment or needs new uniforms, “Mission Tiger” is ready to help.

Guests pose with Tony the Tiger as Kellogg’s celebrates Spirit Day. (Photo by Matthew Eisman/Getty Images for Kellogg)

“Tony the Tiger has been dedicated to fueling active kids since 1952, and it’s a core value we share with the founders of the Sun Bowl Association,” said Brant Wheaton, Marketing Director of Kellogg U.S. Ready-To-Eat Cereal segment. “At Frosted Flakes, we believe every kid should have a chance to be able to play like a Tiger and are committed to keeping middle school kids active in the El Paso community and beyond.”

The Sun Bowl features events all week long that celebrate the city and welcome visitors to enjoy the sense of community that comes from playing and watching football.

“In light of the recent, heartbreaking events in El Paso, it is more important now than ever to focus on the strength of this community and the events that make our city great,” said Bernie Olivas, Executive Director of the Sun Bowl Association. “That’s why we are thrilled to partner with Tony the Tiger and Frosted Flakes to help continue this event’s longstanding tradition of uniting our community, and with a renewed focus on aiding middle school sports, we hope to positively impact families and young athletes beyond game day.”

In addition to the exclusive naming rights the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl has a fresh new logo for the 86-year old game. The fully integrated partnership will amplify across digital and social media, content, in-stadium exposure, product sampling and on-site activation at the game and other Sun Bowl organization events.