OPENING KICKOFF September on the football calendar means it’s gametime. If August was preseason, the Fiesta Bowl organization will be clicking at high speed over the next few months. August was filled with big announcements and high energy events, as you’ll read more about. It certainly got us excited and ready for more fun times ahead. This month features support for unsung heroes in Arizona – our teachers – plus we celebrate some of our state’s top women in sports and bring together the dedicated volunteers who make our organization as successful as it is.
FIESTA BOWL ORGANIZATION NEWSLETTER
If you know a K-12 public or charter school teacher, please encourage them to apply for a grant through our Wishes for Teachers, powered by DriveTime program. We can’t wait to unveil our Grand Marshals for the Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Parade, presented by Cheez-It® in a few weeks, to honor Women in Sports. These women have been and will continue to be an inspiration for us today and to future generations. We do many great events and none would be successful without our outstanding team of 3,000 volunteers who give their time, energy and enthusiasm. September features our Volunteer Kickoff Party, and if you or someone you know would like to participate this season, please join us at the Ziegler Family Museum to learn more and sign up. Thank you for your support and we hope you can join us in our journey this season, on and off the field.
Mike Nealy - Executive Director
NEWS & NOTES Apple for the Teacher One of the Fiesta Bowl’s core pillars is education. We all know that teachers are short on resources and spend their own money for their classrooms. This is the fourth year that the Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers, powered by DriveTime is helping to put some of that money back into their pockets. We will donate $1 Million, with 200 teachers each receiving a $5,000 grant to enhance their classrooms, for the second year in a row. Some past wishes have been for technology, field trips and classroom equipment; others have included the purchase of a washer/dryer to clean clothes for students in need and to buy two pairs of eyeglasses for students who couldn’t afford them. Teachers may apply now through October 5 at WishesForTeachers.org, so please spread the word to all the K-12 public and charter school teachers you know. APPLY HERE
Better to Give Than Receive The Fiesta Bowl organization proudly supports nonprofits throughout Arizona on a year-round basis, focusing on charities that serve in youth, sports and education. In August, we announced that our grant funding for 2019-20 would be a new standard of $3 Million to 40 Arizona nonprofits! This brings our total over the last four years to $10 million, which is more in charitable giving than any other college football bowl organization. The full list of recipients is available here. In addition, smaller Fiesta Bowl Charities grants are available for nonprofits who have funding needs that arise during the year, with the guidelines posted at www.FiestaBowl.org/Charities.
Leaving a Legacy at Hance Park In conjunction with the Fiesta Bowl’s 50th Anniversary that will take place in the 2020-21 season, the Fiesta Bowl made a $2 Million donation to the Hance Park Revitalization Project in Downtown Phoenix. The gift was made alongside Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego on August 19, to fund a 20,000 square foot mega playground that will serve millions of residents and visitors every year. The Fiesta Bowl Play at Hance Park will have a ribbon cutting in December 2020, prior to the 50th game in Fiesta Bowl history.
PG 2
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BY THE NUMBERS $2,750,000,000
Estimated amount that the Fiesta Bowl and its surrounding events has generated for the Arizona economy over the past 12 years.
$15,500,000
Amount of charitable funds the Fiesta Bowl has contributed to non-profit organizations in the past nine years.
3,000
Number of volunteers who make up the Fiesta Bowl Organization.
24.9
Nielson television rating for 1987 Fiesta Bowl featuring Penn State vs Miami. The rating still stands as the highest-rated championship game in history.
54,247
Record Cheez-It Bowl attendance for 2011 Iowa-Oklahoma game.
$3,000,000
Amount of Fiesta Bowl charitable giving for the 2019-20 season.
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G / C H A R I T I E S
PG 3
NEWS & NOTES Kicking off the Season Games have been played and college football’s 150th season is officially underway. Week 0 saw Florida beat Miami and your favorite team likely has hit the field by now. The Fiesta Bowl launched its season with Urban Meyer as keynote speaker for the Arizona Bank & Trust Kickoff Luncheon at the Arizona Biltmore before a sold-out crowd. He delivered a speech that inspired the crowd to put others before self – at home, in the office and as a team. If you did that, you would “Solve the Mystery” and achieve higher success. Don’t miss out next year with special speakers to celebrate the 50th Anniversary.
Who’s Coming to Arizona? The crystal balls are out already, with predictions on who will play in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl on December 28. Teams like Alabama, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Georgia and Clemson have all been mentioned for a 1 vs. 4 or 2 vs. 3 matchup. We’ll find out on December 8, with weekly rankings starting on November 5. Tickets for the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl and the Cheez-It Bowl’s Big 12/Pac-12 matchup went on sale in August.
Win $1 Million Golf is a big part of life in Arizona, and we have a tournament unlike any other. You can win a prize on every hole, including a chance at $1 Million, in the Wells Fargo Fiesta Bowl Par 3 Challenge, presented by Chapman Automotive. The scramble-style tournament is held at the picturesque Short Course at Mountain Shadows on October 24-25. Proceeds support Fiesta Bowl Charities. RSVP HERE
PG 4
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WHAT THEY’RE SAYING Phoenix’s Hance Park gets new ‘mega playground’ after $2 million donation
Fiesta Bowl Luncheon Kicks Off with $3 Million in Donations
Urban Meyer visits with Arizona Sports
Fiesta Bowl generates $2.75 billion in economic impact over 12 years
Come participate at this year’s Fiesta Bowl Parade
Mike Nealy joins Arizona Sports
“I was going into my senior season and focusing all on football. You can only work out a couple of hours a day. I’m going to have all of this extra time. So I thought of this reading challenge. I pitched it to Cal Athletics, and they got on board. And I started to plan it and it was a huge success.”
Patrick Laird, Fiesta Bowl Football Feature
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PG 5
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT 2019-20 Yellow Jacket Committee Chairman: David Dorward Senior Vice President, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management First Year on the Committee: 2010 Most Fiesta Bowl Game: 2007 - Boise St. vs. Oklahoma. I wasn’t a Yellow Jacket at the time, but this ranks one of the best bowl games in history. Big underdog Boise State comes onto the bowl scene, takes Oklahoma to OT and goes for two at the end of the game with a trick play. I still remember the Statue of Liberty play for the win. Most Memorable Moment: Riding in the Parade with my family who has been so supportive with all of my involvement with the bowl since 2009. Why do I Serve the Fiesta Bowl: I believe very strongly in giving back to the community I live in and to be able to do it through the various venues we offer at the Fiesta Bowl, makes it all that much more rewarding. Favorite Job: Team Liaison. The Fiesta Bowl is the pinnacle of college football bowl games. We are known throughout the country as the bowl that puts hospitality and the overall bowl experience as top priority in everything we do. Interesting fact: I played college volleyball.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY The 2019-20 Volunteer Kickoff Party is right around the corner! On September 21, the Ellie and Michael Ziegler Fiesta Bowl Museum will play host to current and soon-to-be-volunteers from 9-11:30am. This event signifies the beginning of an exciting season for the Fiesta Bowl volunteer network. Over 3,000 dedicated volunteers contribute annually and there is always room for more. The Volunteer Kickoff Party will feature free food, football, games and giveaways. If you or someone you know is planning to volunteer during the season, head to the Kickoff Party to sign up for the exciting season of opportunities. RSVP HERE
PG 6
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GET INVOLVED FIESTA BOWL UP C OMING EVENT S
CHECK OUT THE IMPACT REP ORT
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
Wishes For Teachers Powered By DriveTime Draft Day O C T OB E R 2 9 , 2 0 1 9
The Oasis Pregame Party, presented by Cheez-It速 DECEMBER 27, 2019
Cheez-It速 Bowl Game
DECEMBER 27, 2019
CLICK HERE
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
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G / C H A R I T I E S
PG 7
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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FI E STA BO W L .O R G
PG 8
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