AKRON (Jan. 14, 2016) — Goodyear has renewed its title sponsorship of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in a multiyear agreement with ESPN Inc. and the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association.
The Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic will be played at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“This collaboration further demonstrates the tremendous value Goodyear brings to the Cotton Bowl and the College Football Playoff,” said Ed Erhardt, president, ESPN global customer marketing and sales.
“We look forward to the next season as we continue to provide college football fans with an outstanding experience.”
Features of this sponsorship include multimedia support across all ESPN platforms and will highlight the Goodyear Blimp as the preferred aerial provider for College GameDay and key college football games on ESPN.
As a member of the “New Year's Six” — the top bowl games included in the College Football Playoff Semifinal rotation — the Akron-based tire manufacturer said the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic will host a top matchup annually, including a College Football Playoff Semifinal in 2018.
“Goodyear has proven to be the perfect partner for the Cotton Bowl Classic, and from the top down, you see a level of quality, commitment and excellence that raises the profile of our game,” said Dan Novakov, chairman of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
“We are elated that Goodyear has agreed to remain fully-committed to the Classic, and collectively, with ESPN, the Goodyear Cotton Bowl's best is yet to come.”
Scott Rogers, chief marketing officer, Goodyear North America, shared a similar sentiment.
“It further strengthens the connection between Goodyear and college football fans where the presence of the Goodyear Blimp overhead at college stadiums for the past 60 years has paid tremendous brand benefits.”
The company continues to be active in unique ways around its support of college football. In 2015, Goodyear provided aerial coverage of college football throughout the regular season, four Conference Championships and 12 bowl games.
Additionally, the tire company also set the Guinness World Record for executing the World's Largest Game of Cornhole when cheerleaders from Alabama and Michigan State played from the Goodyear Blimp. Last year Goodyear had an aerial presence at every College GameDay location and closed the season with coverage of the College Football National Championship on Jan. 11.