OPENING KICKOFF Welcome to our monthly communication, where we will share with you what the Fiesta Bowl organization is about, how we’re impacting the community here in Arizona and a look ahead to college football and other events we’re actively involved in. August signifies football season is upon us. We’re excited to host a flurry of activity here in the Valley at the end of the season. The PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl will serve as a College Football Playoff Semifinal game, our Cheez-It® Bowl will be a Friday night primetime matchup and our Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Parade, presented by Cheez-It® will kick off an exciting Saturday in late December.
FIESTA BOWL ORGANIZATION NEWSLETTER
Leading up to that eventful weekend, the Fiesta Bowl is “More Than Just A Game.” The Fiesta Bowl is well-known for memorable college football moments and first-in-class hospitality. Our Board of Directors, Yellow Jacket Committee, ambassadors, volunteers and staff are proud of our year-long work making a community impact through charitable contributions and off-the-field events. As a nonprofit, we are committed to execute innovative experiences, drive economic growth and champion charitable causes, inspiring pride in all Arizonans. Thank you for your support, whether it’s buying football tickets, being a sponsor or charity partner, serving as an educator or volunteering in our efforts that make us the best community citizen we can be. Stay tuned for more good news coming from the Fiesta Bowl organization. Mike Nealy - Executive Director
NEWS & NOTES Arizona Bank & Trust Fiesta Bowl Kickoff Luncheon We can’t wait to enjoy this college football season, and it all begins at the Arizona Bank & Trust Fiesta Bowl Kickoff Luncheon on Tuesday, August 20, at Arizona Biltmore Resort. Three-time national championship coach Urban Meyer is our keynote speaker, highlighting an incredible afternoon that also includes lunch, exclusive ticket packages, photo opportunities and much more. The event was originally sold out but we added a few tables, so if you wish to join us, please visit FiestaBowl.org to grab one now. Meyer posted a 3-1 record in Fiesta Bowl appearances with Utah, Florida and Ohio State. The first of his three national championships came when Florida won the 2007 BCS title game in Glendale and he guided Utah to a 2005 Fiesta Bowl win, the first non-power conference school to win a New Year’s Six bowl game!
CFP Semifinal Action Coming in December As part of the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl’s place in the College Football Playoff, this year’s contest will have an elevated profile as a College Football Playoff Semifinal. The spotlight on the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl will shine brighter as we host a 1 vs. 4 or 2 vs. 3 matchup on Saturday, December 28, at State Farm Stadium. The two teams will be determined on December 8, after the conference championships. The last time we hosted a CFP Semifinal, Clemson defeated Ohio State and went on to win the National Championship in a thriller over Alabama. What greatness awaits us this year? Don’t miss out, we look forward to seeing you in Glendale.
Cheez-It® Bowl Friday Night In addition to the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, our organization owns and manages the Cheez-It® Bowl. This matchup between teams from the Big 12 and Pac 12 Conferences gives a unique game environment – a college football game in an MLB ballpark. After the game, our organization donates the 70,000+ square feet of grass that made up the game field to a community in need. This year’s kickoff will be “Friday Night Lights” with a December 27 kickoff at 8:15 pm MT at Chase Field, in our second year with Cheez-It as title sponsor. Some of the notable players who have seen action in this game’s 30-year history include Larry Fitzgerald, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Bledsoe, Le’Veon Bell and Ron Dayne. Watch how the baseball diamond is transformed into a football field. PG 2
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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING From the Publisher: Bowl games pay off for us in many ways
Fiesta Bowl, with eye toward future, positioned well after productive 2018
Fiesta Bowl volunteers reveal top-secret behind-the-scenes stories from the biggest games
Fiesta Bowl finds corporate partners to sponsor charitable activities
The origin of the Yellow Jacket
Fiesta Bowl hands out $1 million in grants to Arizona teachers
We are home to world class World Cup soccer champions, Olympians, Phoenix Mercury call here home and are one of the more iconic organizations. We are going to be highlighting this year’s theme of “Women in Sports” and celebrating all that is Arizona
Joe Hourigan, Parade Chair on this year’s “Women in Sports” theme
CLICK FOR FULL INTERVIEW F I E S TA B O W L . O R G / C H A R I T I E S
PG 3
BEHIND THE BOWL
PG 4
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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT 2019-21 Chairman of the Board: Patrick Barkley Principal, Newmark Realty Capital First Year on the Board: 2010 Favorite Fiesta Bowl Game: 2003 - Ohio St. vs. Miami. Watched the game in the Loge level of the north end zone. We had perfect seats for the gamewinning drive Favorite Event: My favorite non-football game event is our Wishes for Teachers program. Our staff does an amazing job of putting together a “Draft Day” where we have the honor of pulling the names of teachers that have submitted a wish. We then get to call the recipient and let them know their wish has been granted. It is truly an incredible experience. Favorite Job: Team Liaison. This is where it all comes together, working with the players, coaches, administrators, volunteers, staff, hotels, police escorts, etc. It is an adrenaline rush all week working with everyone to make sure we are providing the best hospitality and bowl experience in the business. Interesting fact: I often get asked if I am related to Charles Barkley. We met briefly at the 2011 BCS National Championship Game and determined that we are not. I did meet Saquon Barkley during the 2017 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl game week, but he is also not a family member.
“2007 - Boise St. vs. Oklahoma - I was helping bring the stage in front of the winning team’s fans. We started staging on the Boise St. side of the field, with the mounted police in front of us to set the security perimeter on the field. From our location we could not see the field or screen but heard the PA announcer and the crowd as Oklahoma scored 14 points in the final 90 seconds of the game. Boise St. then tied the game with seven seconds remaining and sent the game to overtime. Meanwhile the horses had been stuck in place on the ramp for a good 45 minutes and did what animals do throughout the overtime. Our role as volunteers took on a new level of commitment as we took shovels to clear the ramp as Boise St. was running the Statue of Liberty play. I was on the field for one of the greatest games in college football history but didn’t see any of it until I got home later that evening”
Most Memorable Moment
IN MEMORIAM: The Fiesta Bowl was created in 1971, with the dedicated work of nine Founders resulting in a new bowl game in the west. Over the last few months, we have heavy hearts with the losses of two of our Founders: Karl Eller and Don Dupont.
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G / C H A R I T I E S
PG 5
GET INVOLVED FIESTA BOWL UP C OMING EVENT S
CHECK OUT THE IMPACT REP ORT
Arizona Bank & Trust Fiesta Bowl Kickoff Luncheon AUGUST 20, 2019
Fiesta Bowl Youth Football Clinic O C T OB E R 5 , 2 0 1 9
Wells Fargo Fiesta Bowl Par 3 Challenge presented by Chapman Automotive O C T OB E R 2 4 - 2 5 , 2 0 1 9
The Oasis Pregame Party, presented by Cheez-It速 DECEMBER 27, 2019
Cheez-It速 Bowl Game
DECEMBER 27, 2019
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Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Parade, presented by Cheez-It速 DECEMBER 28, 2019
Fiesta Bowl Fan Fest Pregame Party
DECEMBER 28, 2019
APS Fiesta Bowl Stadium Club Pregame Party DECEMBER 28, 2019
2019 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation速 Fiesta Bowl
WHO WE ARE B OAR D O F D I R E CTO R S Y E LLO W JACK E T C O M M I TTE E AM B AS SAD O R S
DECEMBER 28, 2019
STAFF
PG 6
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S E N IO R DIRECTOR OF COMMUN ICATION S 4 8 0 - 5 1 7 - 6 2 9 1 | SL EIGH TMAN @ FIESTABOWL .ORG
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CO M M UN ICATION S COORD IN ATOR 4 8 0 - 3 5 0 - 0 9 25 | AN ASH @ FIESTABOWL .ORG
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F I E S TA B O W L . O R G / C H A R I T I E S
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