Houston's Bayou Bucket Secures Presenting Sponsor
State Farm Insurance will be the presenting sponsor for the annual Bayou Bucket football game in Houston, the crosstown rivalry game between the Houston Cougars and Rice Owls. The game will be called the Bayou Bucket presented by State Farm.
"State Farm is proud to be a presenting sponsor of the Bayou Bucket," stated Ronnie Lee Vandiver, State Farm Marketing Manager. "We are pleased to align ourselves to two programs - Houston and Rice - that support the competitiveness, sportsmanship and leadership among these Texas athletes. Having served Texas since 1928, State Farm is proud to be a part of another great Texas tradition."
With the exception of three seasons in the late-1990s, the Houston/Rice football series has been played every year since 1971.
"We are very appreciative of State Farm's sponsorship of this great cross-town rivalry with our friends at the University of Houston," said Rick Greenspan, Rice University's Director of Athletics. "I have had a unique opportunity to work with senior management at State Farm during my time in Bloomington, Ill., where they have their national offices. State Farm is one of America's largest and most successful businesses and their association with Rice University is mutually beneficial."
"We are excited about State Farm's sponsorship of our rivalry game with Rice," said University of Houston Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades. "The Bayou Bucket is a coveted trophy for both teams and adds a lot of excitement to the Houston area during the week leading up to the game. State Farm has always been a great supporter of collegiate athletics and adding their name to the game will create another level of pride for our two teams. We thank State Farm for their continued support."
Rice Sports Marketing, the multimedia rights partner for Rice University Department of Athletics, helped broker the deal and is managed by IMG College.
"We are proud to sign a sponsorship agreement with a company like State Farm who has a strong commitment to supporting athletics and higher education," said Russ Dean, General Manager, Rice Sports Marketing. "We are confident in State Farm's ability to make a positive impact on our fans and anticipate a long and mutually beneficial relationship."
