Independence payday
New bowl sponsor pushes payout to $1 million per team
Posted: Wednesday August 05, 1998 09:52 PM
SHREVEPORT, Louisiana (AP) -- The payout for college football teams
competing in the Independence Bowl will be $1 million each now that
Office Depot has joined the bowl's primary sponsor, officials said
Wednesday.
The payout will be the largest in Independence Bowl history.
Last year, LSU defeated Notre Dame 27-9 in a nationally
televised game. Each team got $913,000. In 1976, the bowl's first
year, each team was paid only $25,000.
Sanford signed a three-year pact in April to replace Poulan-Weed
Eater as the sponsor of the Shreveport game. The company, based in
the Chicago suburb of Bellwood, is probably known best for its
Sharpie pen but also makes over 3,000 other products.
At the time of the announcement, Independence Bowl executive
director Glen Krupica said he hoped to guarantee bowl participants
$1 million by the year 2000.
"Sanford, with the help of Office Depot, has gotten us to that
goal two years ahead of schedule," Krupica said.
Wednesday's move, he said, "shows how serious Sanford is in
partnering with the Independence Bowl and helping it grow to its
potential."
"Sanford and the Independence Bowl Foundation have taken
another stride toward ensuring that two highly competitive,
nationally ranked teams will compete against each year," said
Richard Caldwell, the 1998 Sanford Independence Bowl chairman.
Sanford president Bob Parker said his company has been
associated with Office Depot for years.
"We believe, together, we can make the Independence Bowl a more
enjoyable experience for the players, fans and community.
Increasing the payout per team in our first year is an exciting
accomplishment that we hope to surpass in 1999," he said.
Office Depot will sponsor the Minuteman Luncheon, an event held
in conjunction with the bowl to honor the recipient of the Omar N.
Bradley Spirit of Independence Award, the participating teams and
coaches.
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