The Rate Bowl is “changing names and switching identities,” as it is now the Cactus Bowl and will be “played at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe” instead of Chase Field in downtown Phoenix, according to Logan Stanley of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. The game, which was called the Cactus Bowl from 2014-17, will begin its second stint in Tempe after previously being held there from 2006-15. There is also a new logo for the Cactus Bowl, highlighted by “a cactus shaped like goalposts, with a football in motion flying through the middle of the opening.” Fiesta Sports Foundation Exec Dir & CEO Erik Moses said that “there are ‘active discussions’ about adding back a sponsor to the bowl,” but reiterated that the “goal of the name change is to directly tie the game to the state of Arizona.” There is a contract in place between the Fiesta Sports Foundation and ASU to keep the game at Mountain America Stadium, with Moses hoping that it “becomes ‘permanently, indefinitely’” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/3). In Phoenix, Brandon Brown noted the Diamondbacks are “preparing to make massive renovations at Chase Field,” which will “limit the number of non-baseball events it can hold.” Landing the bowl game back at Arizona State Univ. fits with one of Sun Devil AD Graham Rossini’s goals -- to “get more non-ASU events at school-owned facilities.” It helps “bring in more revenue to the program and increases the broader awareness of ASU” (PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/3).
Sponsored content
Additional Sections
