It's Official: Discover to Serve as New Orange Bowl Title Sponsor
Discover Financial Services, the Orange Bowl Committee and ESPN announced today that an agreement has been reached for Discover to be the title sponsor for the 2011-2014 Orange Bowl Games and the 2013 BCS National Championship Game. The Orange Bowl Game will be known as the "Discover Orange Bowl" and the 2013 BCS National Championship game will be named the "2013 Discover BCS National Championship Game." Under the four-year, five-game partnership, Discover will be the official card of the Orange Bowl and the Bowl Championship Series.
"We are very excited to partner with the Orange Bowl and college football on ESPN," said Harit Talwar, President of U.S. Cards for Discover. "Our cardmembers are very passionate about college football. As title sponsor of the Orange Bowl, Discover will be rewarding our cardmembers all year long with exclusive benefits, including ticket offers and unique experiences at the Discover Orange Bowl. It's a great way to show how it pays to Discover."
This is not the first college football partnership for Discover, which also currently has deals with Notre Dame Football on NBC and the Big Ten Network. Financial terms of Discover's Orange Bowl deal were not released, but according to previous reports from Sports Business Journal the deal was being shopped for "just under $20 million per year."
"Discover's commitment to the Orange Bowl reinforces the game's national strength and appeal as one of the premier sporting events in the country," said Eric Poms, CEO of the Orange Bowl Committee. "We welcome Discover to South Florida and the home of championship college football and we look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership. Our shared passion will leave a lasting impact on our community, while further enriching the 77-year history of the Orange Bowl."
Added Ed Erhardt, President, ESPN Customer Marketing and Sales, "Discover is passionate about college football and committed to activating their Orange Bowl sponsorship in a meaningful way. Their season-long, multi-media engagement, culminating with the Discover Orange Bowl, will provide a platform from which they can create a truly impactful experience for fans and unique rewards for their cardmembers. We look forward to growing this relationship between ESPN, Discover and the Orange Bowl in the coming years."
In addition to the announcement, Allstate has renewed as title sponsor of the 2011-2014 Allstate Sugar Bowls and the 2012 Allstate BCS National Championship Game.
