Staff Writer
Title sponsor or not, the Gator Bowl game will go on.
Tickets go on sale today for the 66th rendition of the game, currently without a lead sponsor following the expiration of a three-year deal with Konica Minolta.
Club seats for the game have sold out, said Gator Bowl Association President Rick Catlett, and renewals are “way ahead” of prior years for the game.
Catlett, along with 2010 Gator Bowl Association Chair and Vistakon CFO Stephen Tremel Jr., met with media Monday to discuss sales, title sponsors, economics and conference affiliations, among other topics.
While a title sponsor makes a “big economic impact,” said Tremel, there is enough in reserves to cover a year without one.
Discussions are ongoing about a sponsor and include the possibility of Konica Minolta signing on again for sponsorship rights.
The naming-rights deal the Jacksonville Jaguars secured with EverBank won’t preclude the game from having a banking-affiliated sponsor if an opportunity were to arise, said Catlett.
If there is no sponsor by Nov. 1, there likely won’t be one because many of the marketing opportunities would have passed.
Instead of rushing a deal, Tremel said the association is approaching the situation with a long-term vision to secure a deal that would help the game move up in the college football pecking order.
Such a deal would be good for both the Gator Bowl Association and a sponsor wanting to increase its brand recognition. The game currently has a $15-20 million impact in direct spending, said Catlett.
“We’re going to do it the right way,” said Tremel, later adding: “The game will go on.”
ESPN holds television rights for the game and is assisting the Gator Bowl Association in its title sponsor search.
There are 92 other local sponsors, said Catlett, which amount to about $1 million in revenues. For the fourth year, the “Employees of W.W. Gay” will be the presenting sponsor.
The game will feature schools from the Big Ten and Southeastern Conference, which Catlett said is a factor in generating local interest and resulting sales. Catlett said a strong Big Ten alumni base of around 500,000 in Florida along with generally strong fan interest in the Southeastern Conference were two factors for interest. Neither conference has been to Jacksonville in more than 15 years.
The Tennessee Volunteers were the last SEC team to play in Jacksonville in 1994; the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten played in 1991.
For more information on the Gator Bowl Association, visit www.gatorbowl.com.
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