Opening Kickoff For over 50 years we have been hosting amazing Bowl games and Bowl experiences. While we always made sure it was more than just about the game, we formalized it when we registered the phrase “More Than Just a Game®.” Football season is in full swing – with the College Football Playoff Selection Committee rankings now coming out weekly – and we have been following closely to see what schools might be coming to Arizona in late December for the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl. Throughout the year our organization dedicates our time, efforts and projects to enriching the lives of Arizonans.
FIESTA BOWL ORGAN I Z AT I O N N E WS L E T T ER
Every week in October we took to a different initiative to make a community impact across the state. That continues in the first part of November with our annual Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers Draft Day presented by SRP. To start off November, we got on the phone and informed 400 teachers across the state that their $2,500 classroom wishes have been granted. That’s $1 million to teachers for them to invest resources into their students. This will be a November to remember for those teachers, filled with smiles, tears, hugs and celebrations. Helping these events run smoothly falls on the shoulders of our incredible Yellow Jackets, devoted volunteers and talented staff. They have performed admirably day-in and day-out. We look forward to their contributions in the next two months as we move into the heart of Bowl Season. If you would like to volunteer, or know someone who would, please reach out to us at FiestaBowl.org/volunteer or volunteers@fiestabowl.org to join in the fun. Thank you for your support. We are Fiesta!
VOLUME 25
NEWS & NOTES Let’s Play! On Monday, October 11, the children of A New Leaf’s East Valley After School Program arrived at their Mesa location to find a brand new, stateof-the art playground where they had previously played on a grass patch, nestled between classrooms and the basketball court. To the kids, the new playground seemingly appeared overnight but, in reality, it was the result of a challenging, three-day effort by more than 100 volunteers from A New Leaf, Fiesta Bowl Charities, KABOOM! and Salt River Project (SRP). Fiesta Bowl has partnered with KABOOM! 10 times in the past seven years to build playgrounds in underserved communities throughout Arizona. WATCH HERE
Youth Football Clinic It was a beautiful day for hundreds of children who participated in the Arizona Milk Producers Fiesta Bowl Youth Football Clinic at the Salvation Army KROC Center. This free, non-contact clinic taught children more than just the fundamentals of football. Attendees spent the day learning, practicing and going through various drills led by former ACC Player of the Year and NFL standout Andre Wadsworth, while developing confidence, a strong work ethic and motivation that will help them succeed on and off the field! WATCH NOW
Your Wish Has Been Granted In what has become an annual tradition to honor, support and celebrate Arizona’s teachers, the Fiesta Bowl Organization is proud to award $1 million to teachers through the Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers program. A three-day Virtual Draft Day presented by Salt River Project (SRP) granted 400 K-12 public and charter school teachers a $2,500 wish to be implemented in their classrooms. A full list of teachers who received a Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers grant may be found here. READ MORE PG 2
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TICKETS, WHO NEEDS TICKETS? The PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl has been played in front of full crowds for some of the most memorable college football moments. Ticket sales have begun to kick off New Year’s Day 2022 in style! Hot off our 50th Anniversary game, this year’s PlayStation Fiesta Bowl will be on Saturday, January 1, 2022, with tickets available at FiestaBowl.org/Tickets. By buying now, you receive the benefits of purchasing early by securing your preferred seat location for what will be the top college football matchup in the state of Arizona and locking in your seat location for the 2022 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. The highly-anticipated Guaranteed Rate Bowl, featuring Bowl Season’s only matchup between members of the Big 12 and Big Ten Conferences, kicks off on Tuesday, December 28, at 8:15 p.m. MST. The game will be televised live on ESPN to a nationwide television and streaming audience. Tickets for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl are now available, with entry prices beginning at $35. Get in now before it’s too late! BUY NOW
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G
PG 3
NEWS & NOTES Lounge Like an Emperor Experience the excitement the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl in a new, highenergy, engaging and social atmosphere, with the Caesars Sportsbook Fan Lounge. This space is highly-desired, with only a limited capacity of 800 tickets available. This social-style concept provides hours-long entertainment with food, drink, mingling and cheering on the college football action on the field. The space overlooks the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl field with an incredible vantage point and a close birds-eye view, offering high tables & chairs plus access to general seating that will make you feel like you’re on top of the field. GET YOUR SEATS NOW
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
2020
Recognizing the perseverance of college football players nationwide, the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award will return for its fourth year. At the end of the season, three student-athletes will be chosen as Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award winners and honored at a special ceremony during the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. Nominees and winners will be selected by a panel of writers, editors and sports information directors from CoSIDA, AP and Touchdown Illustrated as well as Fiesta Bowl representatives. A partial list of the weekly winners include: Terrel Bernard (LB, Baylor); Noah Cain (RB, Penn State); Jack Coan (QB, Notre Dame); Aidan Hutchinson (DE, Michigan); McKenzie Milton (QB, Florida State); Justyn Ross (WR, Clemson). The full list of weekly winners and nominations are at www.comeback-player.com.
PG 4
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NEWSWORTHY
Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl’s ‘Wishes for Teachers’ grants thousands of dollars to Arizona teachers
“I Made Contact, Got Some Cookies”
FOX10 PHOENIX
ASU’s first Fiesta Bowl win and the memories, friendships that followed
12NEWS
Charity Spotlight: A New Leaf & KABOOM!
THE STATE PRESS
PNC Fiesta Bowl Par 3 Challenge Media Winner ARIZONA’S FAMILY
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G
FIESTABOWL.ORG
‘Just Like Home’: 50 years later, ASU players from 1971 Fiesta Bowl reunite, reminisce
CRONKITE NEWS
PG 5
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
John Meza Former Mesa Chief of Police First Year as Volunteer: I originally volunteered in 2012 for the Fiesta Bowl Youth Clinic and have been hooked ever since. First Year as Yellow Jacket: 2016 Favorite Fiesta Bowl Game: My favorite Fiesta Bowl game was in 2016 featuring Notre Dame against Ohio State. It was so incredible to be on the field with two teams that have so much tradition and history. and to be in the presence of two of college football’s greatest teams was amazing!. Favorite Fiesta Bowl Moment: My favorite Fiesta Bowl moment is in sharing the experiences with friends and family. To know my wife, kids, uncles, aunts and friends are in the stands enjoying the best college Bowl game in the country is so fulfilling. It is great to be part of an organization where the staff, committee members and volunteers work so hard to create an incredible game experience. PG 6
Why I Serve the Fiesta Bowl: You hear the phrase “More Than Just a Game” and it is so true. Serving in public safety for over 30 years, I have seen the positive community impact the Fiesta Bowl has had by supporting nonprofit organizations and programs designed to make our communities safer, healthier and happier. Favorite Job: I have been blessed to work with so many great individuals here at the Fiesta Bowl. My favorite job has been serving as chair of Game Officials. This position is so unique in the fact that you feel you are part of the game. The officiating is such an important aspect of the game, and the game officials rely greatly on the assistance from the Fiesta Bowl team. Interesting fact: I am a fifth-generation Arizonan and love our state. I attended my first Fiesta Bowl in 1977 where my aunt Lee Meza sang the national anthem when Penn State defeated ASU, 42-30. F I E S TA B O W L O R G A N I Z AT I O N N E W S L E T T E R | V O L U M E 2 5
better to give than receive At the heart of the Fiesta Bowl Organization is a simple mission: to enhance organizations that contribute to the success of their communities through youth, sports and education. Through its two annual bowl games in the Valley, the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, as well as community events throughout the year, Fiesta Bowl Charities has selected 51 Arizona nonprofits through its 2021-22 Grant Cycle. Over 575,000 Arizonans will be impacted by the Fiesta Bowl Charities Grant Recipients!
2021-22 Projected Numbers 406,941 youth impacted 258,610 benefiting from sports programming 346,945 benefiting from educational programming 6,180 books distributed 20,000 pounds of fresh produce provided
LEARN MORE
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G
PG 7
CONTACT US
S C OTT L E IGH TMAN
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
AL E X NASH
CO M M UN ICATION S & SOCIAL MED IA MAN AGER 4 8 0 - 3 5 0 - 0 9 2 5 | AN ASH @ FIESTABOWL .ORG
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FI E STA BO W L .O R G