yet others like Orange, Rose, etc. still have the promoter keep the legendary name. TaxSlayer.com has just decided to drop the Gator altogether and only have the corporate branding.
_________________________________________________________________________________
The Gator Bowl has shared its name with a number of corporate sponsors over the years, from major automakers and restaurant franchises to foreign tech companies and insurance corporations.
But this year's name change is different
While some fans of college football object to the corporate branding – particularly those old enough to remember when bowl games were named by regional association – bowl directors say it's critical for the financial health of the system.
"The move to corporately sponsored events is the only way to generate the dollars we need to secure the bowl game's future," said Rick Catlett, president and CEO of the TaxSlayer Bowl and Gator Bowl Sports, a non-profit organization that focuses on attracting sporting events to Jacksonville.
More corporate funds make for larger team payouts, Catlett said, which allows us "to secure the best conferences to play in our bowl games. "
The Gator Bowl began in 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl. Many of the other bowl games have also followed the lure of higher financial returns and changed their names in accordance with the preference of sponsors.
Teams that have kept their original names (before 1990) include:
_________________________________________________________________________________
The Gator Bowl has shared its name with a number of corporate sponsors over the years, from major automakers and restaurant franchises to foreign tech companies and insurance corporations.
But this year's name change is different
While some fans of college football object to the corporate branding – particularly those old enough to remember when bowl games were named by regional association – bowl directors say it's critical for the financial health of the system.
"The move to corporately sponsored events is the only way to generate the dollars we need to secure the bowl game's future," said Rick Catlett, president and CEO of the TaxSlayer Bowl and Gator Bowl Sports, a non-profit organization that focuses on attracting sporting events to Jacksonville.
More corporate funds make for larger team payouts, Catlett said, which allows us "to secure the best conferences to play in our bowl games. "
The Gator Bowl began in 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl. Many of the other bowl games have also followed the lure of higher financial returns and changed their names in accordance with the preference of sponsors.
Teams that have kept their original names (before 1990) include:
- Rose Bowl Presented by Northwestern Mutual
- Capital One Orange Bowl
- Allstate Sugar Bowl
- Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
- Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
- VIZIO Fiesta Bowl
- Hyundai Sun Bowl
- Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl
- AutoZone Liberty Bowl
- Duck Commander Independence Bowl
- National University Holiday Bowl
- Outback Bowl
- TicketCity Cactus Bowl
- Russell Athletic Bowl
