College Football Playoff Gets First Partner

ESPN and Dr Pepper today announced that the soft drink brand will be the first official partner of next year's inaugural College Football Playoff, in addition to serving as the presenting sponsor of the new College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy. Championship Partner designation represents the highest level of sponsorship and activation.

“Dr Pepper is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with college football through ESPN and help usher in a new era with the newly formed College Football Playoff,” said Jim Trebilcock, executive vice president of marketing for Dr Pepper Snapple Group. “The impact of this one of a kind collaboration with ESPN and the CFP is monumental. In addition, we will be able to further extend our popular Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway, where we have awarded more than $6 million dollars in tuition to students across the country since 2008.”

The Plano, Texas-based soft drink manufacturer also renewed its SEC official sponsorship as well as a long-term commitment with ESPN and the new SEC Network.

“This is the biggest sponsorship deal we’ve done,” Trebilcock tells Adweek, who pegged the company's unconfirmed investment at about $35 million per season. “This will be our version of the Super Bowl.”