December 2022 Organization Newsletter

FIESTA BOWL

ORGANIZATION NEWSLETTER

JIM HATFIELD INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

OPENING KICKOFF

Randal Norton BOARD CHAIR

Welcome to the best time of the year! It’s the holidays, warm temperatures in Arizona and Bowl Season!

We have been abuzz this whole month with preparations for the College Football Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Both games feature matchups that have never happened in the 153 year-old history of college football – TCU vs. Michigan and Wisconsin vs. Oklahoma State.

That is one of the best things about Bowl Season – having teams compete that have not faced each other. This happened just a year ago here in Arizona when Notre Dame played Oklahoma State and Minnesota faced West Virginia.

Part of our Bowl tradition is the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, which celebrated its 50th edition earlier this month. Hall of Fame broadcaster Al McCoy served as our Grand Marshal, along with Special Guests Barbara Barrett, Jagger Eaton and Dan Majerle, each exemplifying our “Legends Made Here” theme. It was a spectacular day to celebrate our wonderfully diverse and vibrant community.

In just a few days, we will welcome guests to the state of Arizona where the teams, alumni, fans and partners will once again enjoy our legendary hospitality. We’re looking forward to packed stadiums and pregame parties, and to experience the traditions that make college football so unique.

Join the holiday season festivities and enjoy your experience! Thank you for being a part of our Arizona tradition.

NEWS AND NOTES

OPERATION SANTA SPREADS HOLIDAY CHEER

Earlier this month, 40 Valley children had the holiday shopping experience of a lifetime thanks to Fiesta Bowl Charities and partners Dick’s Sporting Goods and the Fighter Country Foundation. Every December, these organizations come together to host Operation Santa, a shopping spree experience for children who have a parent deployed in active military service. The participating youth are selected through the Fighter Country Foundation, a local organization that supports programs and services at Luke Air Force Base that aid and honor Airmen and their families.

All participating youth were given a $300 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card and paired with a Fiesta Bowl Charities volunteer to assist with shopping for holiday gifts. The children were given free range of the store, where they tried on shoes and helmets, tested equipment, and selected new gear to sport. “We’re so thankful to Dick’s and Fighter Country for helping us provide this experience every year to families that make the ultimate sacrifice,” said Kristina Chumpol, Senior Director of Community Relations at the Fiesta Bowl. “We love spreading the holiday cheer to these kids, and you can see their eyes pop with excitement as they bounce from section to section!”

ERIK A. MOSES

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CEO

On November 15, the Fiesta Bowl announced sports and entertainment industry leader Erik Moses as its new Executive Director & Chief Executive Officer. Moses has more than 20 years of experience building successful ventures for sports and entertainment properties through the creation of innovative events, development of community-centric programming, and as a leader in elevating teams and organizations.

Moses played an integral part in creating, executing and hosting Washington, D.C.’s Military Bowl in addition to the AT&T Nations Football Classic featuring Historically Black Colleges and Universities. While working in the Nation’s Capital, he delivered unprecedented corporate partnerships initiatives, helped establish the XFL’s DC Defenders and made the franchise one of the league’s top organizations in ticket sales, enabled unique game day experiences and access, and created extensive social media engagement.

During his most recent stint in Nashville, he revived and repositioned a dormant racetrack into a world-class venue to host NASCAR’s top series for the first time in nearly 40 years.

Moses comes to Scottsdale with a proven track record as an attorney, entrepreneur, economic development professional and chief executive. His professional experiences reflect the goals of the Fiesta Bowl Organization, delivering innovative and new experiences for college football fans and sports fans in general. READ MORE

NEWS AND NOTES

PALO VERDE FIESTA BOWL CHARITIES WISHES FOR TEACHERS

Last month, the Fiesta Bowl continued its tradition of awarding $1 million to Arizona educators through the Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers program with Draft Day presented by SRP. From November 1-3, 400 deserving teachers got a life-changing phone call letting them know they’d been selected to receive a $2,500 grant for their classroom wish.

“Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers is one of the most impactful teacher support programs in Arizona donating $1 million dollars to benefit thousands of Arizona students. Adding to the excitement this year was the return of our in-person Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers Draft Day presented by SRP which further enhances the experience for our recipients,” said Randal Norton, Fiesta Bowl Board Chair. “Teachers are truly selfless individuals who help shape the futures of our students here in Arizona and we are proud to play a part in supporting our teachers to do more in the classroom for the leaders of tomorrow.”

Wishes were spread across the state this year, with 72 cities and towns, 321 schools and 95 districts represented in the giving. Nearly 212,000 students will be positively impacted by their teachers’ wishes.

Created in 2016, the Fiesta Bowl Wishes for Teachers program grants classroom wishes to Arizona teachers. Public and charter school K-12 teachers across the state are invited to apply each fall with the recipients verified and selected by a random drawing during the Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers Draft Day presented by SRP. In its seven years, Wishes for Teachers has granted over $5.7 million to over 1,600 Arizona teachers, impacting 700,000+ students across the state.

EVERYONE LOVES A PARADE

One of the most highly-anticipated events of the season took place last weekend – the 2022 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe! Giant balloons, colorful community floats, local performers and much more took over Downtown Phoenix during Arizona’s highest-attended single-day event as we kicked off Bowl Season here in the Valley. With a theme of “Legends Made Here,” the march was headlined by Grand Marshal Al McCoy, a 51-year NBA broadcaster and the legendary “Voice of the Suns.” McCoy was accompanied on the route by three special guests and local legends: Barbara Barrett, the 25th Secretary of the Air Force, Jagger Eaton, an Olympic skateboarding medalist, and Thunder” Dan Majerle, a fan-favorite former member of the Phoenix Suns. Fiesta Bowl representatives from Yellow Jackets to Board Members and everything in-between walked the route and helped the event come together, along with over 80 unique and entertaining local groups!

LEARN MORE

MEET OUR TEAMS

Let’s Fiesta!

On December 4 the Selection Committee spoke, designating Michigan and TCU as the number two and number three teams in the nation. This bounds the Wolverines and Horned Frogs for the desert, as the 2022 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl will host these two championship contenders in their first-ever meeting on December 31 at 2 pm MST at State Farm Stadium.

TCU has been the surprise of the season, snapping a three-year bowl drought with a CFP appearance under the leadership of Walter Camp Coach of the Year Sonny Dykes and Heisman-finalist quarterback Max Duggan. The Horned Frogs are looking for their first Fiesta Bowl victory following a narrow 17-10 loss to Boise State in 2010.

For Michigan, this will be its first appearance at the Fiesta Bowl since a 27-23 victory over Nebraska in 1986 when current Head Coach Jim Harbaugh was the team’s quarterback. It will be the Wolverines’ second consecutive CFP Semifinal appearance and fourth berth in a New Year’s Six Bowl in the last seven seasons.

A Guaranteed Good Time

For the first time in history, Wisconsin and Oklahoma State will square off at the Guaranteed Rate Bowl on Tuesday, December 27 in Downtown Phoenix at 8:15 pm MST.

Wisconsin enters Bowl Season for the 21st straight year, which is the third-longest active streak in FBS. It is the Badgers’ second appearance in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, the first coming with Heisman trophy-winner Ron Dayne leading a 38-10 win over Utah in 1996.

Oklahoma State makes a return to the desert, this time for an appearance in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. The Cowboys are making their 17th straight bowl game and will play in their third Guaranteed Rate Bowl in program history, following victories in 2007 and 2015. Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy is the third-longest tenured active head coach in FBS, completing his 18th season.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

First Year as Volunteer: 2018

First Year as Yellow Jacket Committee Member: 2018

Favorite Fiesta Bowl Game:

My favorite Fiesta Bowl game was the 1996 National Championship game, Nebraska vs. Florida. My dad graduated from Nebraska, so it was exciting to watch the game with him and see his beloved Cornhuskers beat Florida!

Favorite Fiesta Bowl Moment: The 2019 CFP Semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl. I was honored on the field between the third and fourth quarters because the Yellow Jacket Committee had named me the George Leonard Yellow Jacket Rookie of the Year for the 2018-19 Bowl Season.

Why I Serve the Fiesta Bowl:

Sean Ward Senior Vice President of Business & Commercial Banking BNC National Bank

I got involved with the Fiesta Bowl because it combined my passion for college football with my passion for giving back to the community.

Favorite Job: I’ve been involved with the media operations committee since my rookie year as a Yellow Jacket, and I’ve enjoyed the many hats I’ve worn with the committee like media registration captain, assistant chair, and now chair of the committee this year.

Interesting fact:

I grew up in a home with divided loyalties – my dad was a Cornhusker, and my mom was an Oklahoma girl who was a die-hard Sooner fan. Thanksgiving weekend was always interesting around our house!