Guaranteed Rate Named New Title Sponsor Of Arizona Bowl Game

The Fiesta Bowl Organization recently announced Guaranteed Rate as the new title sponsor of the annual bowl game played at Chase Field in Phoenix, the home of Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks.

With Bowl Season coming soon, @GuaranteedRate has joined with the @Fiesta_Bowl Organization to become title sponsor of the newly-named Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

Formerly known as the Cactus Bowl, this is the only postseason matchup between members of the @bigten & @Big12Conference. pic.twitter.com/pDSYVelKWh
— Guaranteed Rate Bowl (@RateBowl) October 22, 2020

“We’re excited to add one of the fastest-growing mortgage companies, and one that loves sports, into our family,” Fiesta Bowl Organization chairman Patrick Barkley said in a statement. “Guaranteed Rate is innovative and thinks big, which enhances our efforts as a leader in hospitality, community impact and incredible events.”

A Chicago-based retail mortgage company, Guaranteed Rate has more 700 offices across the country. The company has earned numerous awards, including being named a top lender for its online service by U.S. News & World Report.

“College football is such a positive force within sports,” Guaranteed Rate president and CEO Victor Ciardelli said. “We love the competition, respect the hard work and admire the sportsmanship. Every student athlete’s goal is to end their season with a bowl game win, and that’s a huge part of why we’re thrilled to bring the Guaranteed Rate Bowl to ESPN.”

This marks the seventh name for the bowl game that was known as the Copper Bowl from its inception in 1989 through 1996. It was also called the Insight.com Bowl (1997-2001), Insight Bowl (2002-11), Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl (2012-13), Ticket City Cactus Bowl (2015), Motel 6 Cactus Bowl (two games in 2016), Cactus Bowl (2017) and Cheez-It Bowl (2018-19).

The bowl was originally played at Arizona Stadium in Tuscon before it moved to Chase Field – then known as Bank One Ballpark – in downtown Phoenix in 2000. The game was moved a second time in 2006 to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, but returned to Chase Field when Arizona State announced extensive renovations in 2016.

The Guaranteed Rate Bowl is one of just three bowl games played inside an MLB ballpark, joining the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium and Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park. It’s also the only postseason contest that will feature a matchup of teams from the Big Ten and Big XII conferences, though the exact date of this year’s game has not yet been determined.

Photos courtesy of the Fiesta Bowl Organization.