Fiesta Bowl Organization Newsletter | Volume 5

OPENING KICKOFF Happy New Year! We are now into February and 2020 is well on its way.

While setting new goals and identifying what’s our next stake in the ground, we also take a few moments to celebrate the successes from last year. For us at the Fiesta Bowl Organization, you don’t have to go back far after a record-setting year.

Our organization staged three major events within a 24-hour period and hopefully you were there to enjoy them.

It was a whirlwind for our dedicated legion of staff, volunteers, Yellow Jacket Committee and Board of Directors.

FIESTA BOWL ORGANIZATION NEWSLETTER

The PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl hosted a College Football Playoff Semifinal and we were treated by Clemson and Ohio State to a game that was the buzz of the college football season. We welcomed Air Force and Washington State (eclectic coach Mike Leach’s last game with the Cougs) to the Cheez-It® Bowl with their contrasting styles of high-powered offense. In between, the Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Parade, presented by Cheez-It® marched down Central Phoenix with our trailblazing grand marshals to celebrate the Women in Sports theme.

As Desert Financial CEO Jeff Meshey said about the Fiesta Bowl to the Arizona Republic, “There’s something for everyone.”

That phrase sums up our Fiesta Bowl mission and how we impact the community throughout the year on and off the field.

We know 2020 will be another memorable year – celebrating our 50th Anniversary along the way – and thank you for being there as our teammate.

Mike Nealy - Executive Director

NEWS & NOTES Everyone Loves a Parade We all love parades and the preeminent parade in Arizona every year is the Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Parade, presented by Cheez-It®, which draws the largest single-day event attendance in the state. This year’s edition featured a Women in Sports theme, with five female icons with Arizona ties serving as Grand Marshals.

Special Olympics golfer Amy Bockerstette, U.S. Women’s Soccer standouts Julie Ertz and Jessica McDonald, U.S. Paralympic gold medalist Allysa Seely and arguably the greatest women’s basketball player of all time Diana Taurasi led the way down the two-mile parade route through Central Phoenix.

If you missed the pageantry of brilliantly colored floats, giant balloons, equestrian units, specialty and charitable groups, local celebrities and marching bands, you may watch the parade from Arizona’s Family 3TV by clicking here.

Record-Setting Performance Outside of the new standards set on the field, the Fiesta Bowl Organization entered its name once again in the Guinness World Record book, this time for the Largest Game of Freeze Tag. Held at Garfield Elementary School, in conjunction with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, the “Day of Play” included 2,172 students from 13 schools breaking the previous record of 1,393 people in Antwerp, Belgium.

BCBSAZ promotes active lifestyles and wellness for youth and is also the title sponsor of the Fiesta Bowl’s robust year-long volunteer program.

The Fiesta Bowl also holds a Guinness World Record for the Largest High Five Chain with 3,473 participants, set on November 30, 2016, in Avondale.

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HIGHLIGHTS Let’s toast all the great achievements by the Fiesta Bowl Organization in 2019.

• New record of $3 million in charitable giving for 2019-20 season • Commitment of $2 million to Hance Park Revitalization Project • Guinness World Record set, in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona • The two winners of the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl in 2019 (LSU, Clemson) played for the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship • Announcement that Big Ten Conference will join Big 12 Conference in Cheez-It® Bowl for 2020-25 • Expanded Wishes for Teachers, powered by DriveTime Draft Day distributed $1 million to teachers in event and livestream at SNEAKY BIG • Re-launch of FiestaBowl.org • Creation of Fiesta Bowl Football Focus Podcast • Hole in One during Wells Fargo Fiesta Bowl Par 3 Challenge earns $25,000 for player • Arizona Bank & Trust Fiesta Bowl Kickoff Luncheon has record attendance for keynote speaker Urban Meyer

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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GAME RESULTS

CLEMSON WINS PLAYSTATION® FIESTA BOWL TO ADVANCE TO CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP In what ESPN called the best game of the 2019 college football season, No. 3 Clemson rallied from a 16-0 deficit to top No. 2 Ohio State, 29-23, and go to the CFP National Championship Game. The entertaining and exciting PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl was the most-watched non-January 1st College Football Playoff Semifinal ever with 23.5 million viewers.

Throughout the 60 minutes, the game featured big play after big play, including Clemson star quarterback Trevor Lawrence dashing for a 67-yard touchdown before halftime to change the game’s momentum.

Ohio State was driving toward a winning score when Clemson junior safety Nolan Turner sealed the victory with an interception with :37 remaining in the game to extend Clemson’s nation’s-best 29-game winning streak.

Lawrence was awarded the Offensive Player of the Game and fifth-year senior linebacker Chad Smith won Defensive Player of the Game. The highly touted Clemson quarterback had 107 yards rushing and 259 passing yards while running his streak of passes without any interceptions to 215.

Ohio State junior running back J.K. Dobbins ran for 174 yards and a touchdown to lead the Buckeyes’ offense.

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GAME RESULTS

AIR FORCE FLIES TO CHEEZ-IT® BOWL TITLE The Cheez-It® Bowl featured some of the nation’s most prolific offenses – Air Force’s triple option and Washington State’s air raid – with an average combined 767 in total offensive yards.

Air Force’s rushing attack capped off a sensational 11-2 season with a 31-21 win over Washington State. The Falcons slowed down the Cougars’ passing game, setting a Cheez-It® Bowl record for time of possession with 43:24. After a scoreless first quarter, both teams were in an offensive shootout before halftime where Air Force led WSU, 17-14.

The Falcons separated themselves in the second half with a pair of touchdowns to seal the deal. With a strong running attack, Air Force broke Cheez-It® Bowl records for first downs rushing (27) and rushing attempts (69) in a single game.

A pair of Air Force juniors were named MVPs of the game – running back Kadin Remsberg won the Offensive Player of the Game and Defensive Player of the Game was awarded to linebacker Grant Donaldson.

Wazzu linebacker Jahad Woods registered a career high and new bowl record with 20 tackles, previously held by Minnesota’s Kim Royston in the 2009 Insight Bowl.

Remsberg finished with 178 yards rushing and the game-clinching touchdown with 3:50 remaining in the game.

TEAM OUTREACH Air Force On Christmas, more than 50 Air Force players and representatives helped serve the families at the Salvation Army Holiday Dinner at the Phoenix Convention Center. This event provided a holiday meal to over 5,000 children and families, an opportunity for pictures with Santa, crafts and games and a gift for each child to take home. This allowed the team to bring some holiday cheer to those who need it. Click here for video recap.

Washington State The Cougars were in the giving mood as more than 50 players and representatives and 100 children and families from the Muscular Dystrophy Association enjoyed a morning of bowling, arcade games and laser tag at Main Event Tempe. Before the day ended, the children left with smiles, a group photo, autograph signing and memories that will last a lifetime.

Click here for video recap.

Clemson Teaming up with Fiesta Bowl Charities, over 50 Clemson players and representatives hosted a friendly school supply packing competition that will provide over 1,500 school supply bags for Title 1 students across the state.

After the competition, there was a short autograph signing with the Clemson football team. Click here for video recap.

Ohio State Working with Fiesta Bowl Charities and Child Crisis Arizona, over 50 Ohio State players and representatives hosted a “Shop with a Jock” holiday shopping spree for 50 at-risk children and their families. Each child received a $200 Dick’s Sporting Goods shopping spree, along with signing autographs and taking pictures. The children left the day with a special and memorable holiday they would cherish forever. Click here for video recap.

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NEWSWORTHY Fiesta Bowl & Cheez-It® Bowl highlight an area putting money into venues for all sports

College football’s 100 best games of 2019

A look at the Fiesta Bowl’s epic impact

Locals, tourists alike line streets of central Phoenix to watch Fiesta Bowl Parade

MDA Arizona provides hope, new horizons for those afflicted with muscular dystrophy

Cheese, more cheese and football: Cheez-It® Bowl preps underway at Chase Field

“Fiesta Bowl executives always stress they do more than just host two football games every December. That message seems to have resonated with a number of businesses around Phoenix that have started sponsoring the Fiesta Bowl’s charitable endeavors.”

CLICK FOR FULL STORY

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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VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT 2018-19 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner: Rob Drake First Year as Volunteer: Mid-1980s for the 3-on-3 basketball tournament; Media Operations in 1990 First Year on the Committee: 1996 Favorite Fiesta Bowl Game: The 2003 Ohio State vs. Miami National Championship game is a standout. Ohio State’s 31-24 victory was a classic, ending Miami’s 34-game winning streak, and was memorable as a volunteer.

From a spectator, I must go back to 1975 and ASU’s 17-14 victory over Nebraska that elevated the Sun Devils to a No. 2 national ranking.

Most Memorable Moment: Being honored on the field at the last Fiesta Bowl for the Lifetime Achievement Award and having my wife and 2 daughters on the sideline watching. Great to have the whole family there to share in the moment as they have sacrificed over the past 30 years allowing me to have my Fiesta Bowl experiences.

Why I Serve the Fiesta Bowl: This has been a family passion beginning with my father, who became a Yellow Jacket Committee member in the late 1970s. I grew up with the Fiesta Bowl as part of my fabric because of that, and saw the great things the bowl did for the community. I’m very proud that both daughters have been on Media Operations Committee since they turned 18 and have ascended to leadership status with their subcommittees. Our family spans three generations of working with the Fiesta Bowl.

Favorite Job: On gameday I have the privilege of working on the field during the game with photographers, videographers and the teams. I also have run the locker rooms and escorted the coach and key players to the postgame press conferences for both games we host.

Interesting fact: I have attended the last 47 Fiesta Bowls (only missed the first two) and the last 20 Cheez-It Bowls (and other previously named bowl games) – meaning I have attended 67 Fiesta Bowl sponsored football games in my life.

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BY THE NUMBERS $10,000,000

In charitable giving over the past 4 years

$3,000,000

In charitable giving in the 2019-20 grant cycle

12,000+

People impacted by 6 new playgrounds/play spaces

600,000+ Youth served in 2019-20

283,480

Meals served in 2019-20

NEARLY 1,000,000 People served in 2019-20

F I E S TA B O W L . O R G / C H A R I T I E S

PG 9

CONTACT US

S C OTT LE IGHTMAN

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

ALE X NAS H

CO M M UN ICATION S COORD IN ATOR 4 8 0 - 3 5 0 - 0 9 2 5 | AN ASH @ FIESTABOWL .ORG

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PG 10

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