AutoZone to Title Sponsor Liberty Bowl

AutoZone have announced an extension of its title sponsorship of annual college football bowl game, unhealthy the Liberty Bowl in a new six-year deal.

The game, discount likely to be played late December at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium and shown by ESPN, health will match a Southeastern Conference team against an opponent from the Big 12 in the first year of a six-year agreement between the bowl and two of college football’s five power conferences.

“I think that sends a very strong message that we are going to be a major player as the new college bowl lineups are set,” said Steve Ehrhart, executive director of the bowl game. “We are very proud that the contract is for the length of the Big 12 and SEC deals.

“With all the battles among bowl games and cities for who is going to get the best conferences and best teams it’s really important we have a (six-year) deal.”

AutoZone, the Memphis-based auto parts retailer, has been involved as a sponsor of the bowl game for 20 years, the past 10 as title sponsor. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

“We think the SEC and the Big 12 are going to be a great match,” said Bill Giles, CFO and executive vice president of AutoZone. “Keep in mind we have AutoZone stores and AutoZone customers throughout both of those conferences and throughout the country. We are excited about it. I think it will be great for the AutoZone Liberty Bowl and for Memphis.”

Giles said AutoZone’s association with the bowl game as title sponsorship “has been a great partnership and a great marriage for us over time.”

“When we started this journey 10 years ago we said this was a marriage between three great Memphis institutions: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Liberty Bowl and AutoZone. Now, 10 years later, all three of us have really benefited.”