One of the most random bowl sponsorships in recent history was apparently a good investment after all.
Last season the Bahamas Bowl got social media abuzz for a rather unique sponsorship that put it in the rare pantheon occupied by other greats such as the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl and the Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl. The Caribbean-based game was officially known as the ‘Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl’ and that tagline was the result the city of Elk Grove, Illinois putting up six-figures to sponsor the bowl game itself.
While many laughed off the unique relationship of an actual city sponsoring a bowl game, it turns out the exposure that the city got out of the deal far exceeded whatever publicity that Florida International and Toledo got out of the contest.
According to the Associated Press, Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is placing their latest Chicago-area store in Elk Grove and the genesis of the location came from one of the company’s real estate managers watching the bowl game back in December.
“You’re always looking for places that are business friendly,” said Chad Bruner. “The sponsorship opens the door into reading the article and you get more information as far as what they were trying to do. That really kind of just showed us that’s a place that you can probably go and get some business done.”
Business will certainly be done as the city expects several million dollars in tax revenue from the venture, which will see Love’s build a new 7,600 square-foot facility not too far from Chicago’ O’Hare International Airport. Not bad considering the sponsorship of the Bahamas Bowl only ran $300,000 for Elk Grove in the first place.
The city will continue their sponsorship of the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl in 2019 and something says that after this story, they won’t be the only municipality to consider ponying up some cash to get in on the latest trend for bowl games in college football’s unique postseason.