The Independence Bowl Foundation, Inc

What The Independence Bowl Foundation, Inc does

The Independence Bowl Foundation, Inc. is a Louisiana-based nonprofit organization that operates the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, an annual college football bowl game held in Shreveport. Founded in 1976, it is the 11th most historic college football bowl game and is celebrating its 50th playing in December 2026, scheduled for primetime broadcast on ESPN on December 22 at 7:30 p.m. CST. The foundation partners with four athletic conferences — the Big 12, Pac-12, American Athletic Conference, and Conference USA — to source participating teams, and its alumni include three players selected first overall in the NFL Draft, most recently Fernando Mendoza (Las Vegas Raiders, 2026).

The organization runs year-round programming anchored by the gameday event and extended through ancillary fan and community events. The annual Kickoff Dinner features prominent collegiate sports figures (Tyrann Mathieu in 2026) and functions as a season-opening engagement event. A foundation membership program supports ongoing fan involvement, while a dedicated e-commerce storefront sells 50th anniversary merchandise, throwback t-shirts, and official gear. Sponsorship is a core revenue pillar: Radiance Technologies holds title sponsorship, with the event officially branded as the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, supplemented by secondary partners including OriginBank and Coca-Cola United.

The revenue model combines one-time ticket and merchandise sales with recurring sponsorship contracts and foundation membership fees. Distribution runs through the organization's own e-commerce website, regional gameday/ancillary event sales, and national ESPN broadcast reach. No proprietary technology platform is operated; the foundation's technology footprint consists of its public website, online storefront, and standard social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube), supported by a newsletter and podcast ("Inside the I-Bowl"). The foundation is privately structured with 11–50 employees and is governed by a Board of Directors and Executive Committee, with a leadership transition announced in June 2026 effective August 15, 2026.

Name

The Independence Bowl Foundation, Inc

Legal name

The Independence Bowl Foundation, Inc

Website

https://independencebowl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Independence Bowl Foundation, Inc. operates the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, an annual college football bowl game in Shreveport, Louisiana, founded in 1976 and celebrating its 50th edition in 2026 with ESPN broadcast. It serves college football fans, corporate sponsors (including title sponsor Radiance Technologies), and four partner athletic conferences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

College Football Bowl Game / Sports Event Production

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Collegiate & Scholastic Tournament Organizers (MPAKADAG)

Keywords

• College football bowl game
• Postseason sports event
• Sports sponsorship packages
• Fan membership programs
• Licensed sports merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Shreveport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The Independence Bowl generates revenue through sale of game tickets, including gameday events and ancillary fan events such as the annual Kickoff Dinner featuring notable speakers (e.g., Tyrann Mathieu in 2026). Tickets and parking are sold through the organization's website.
2. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors underwrite the bowl game and its events. The organization lists sponsorship as a section on its website and is partnered with Radiance Technologies as the title sponsor (Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl), alongside numerous other named partners including conference athletic conferences and local/regional businesses.
3. Merchandise Sales: An online shop sells 50th anniversary merchandise, throwback t-shirts, and official gear, generating direct e-commerce revenue.
4. Membership Program: The foundation sells foundation memberships to fans and supporters, providing benefits tied to the annual bowl game and year-round engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Independence Bowl Foundation, Inc. produces and operates the annual Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, a college football postseason bowl game hosted in Shreveport, Louisiana (50th edition scheduled for December 22, 2026, broadcast on ESPN). It also sells game and ancillary event tickets, corporate sponsorship packages, foundation memberships, and licensed 50th anniversary and throwback merchandise.

Product overview

The Independence Bowl Foundation operates as a single-product organization centered on the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, an annual college football bowl game held in Shreveport, Louisiana. The foundation's portfolio includes the core bowl game event, ancillary events such as the Kickoff Dinner featuring prominent speakers (e.g., Tyrann Mathieu in 2026), foundation membership programs, and merchandise sales. The 50th anniversary celebration in 2026 marks a major milestone for the organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Annual college football postseason bowl game hosted in Shreveport, Louisiana — college football's 11th most historic bowl game, with its 50th edition scheduled for December 22, 2026 and broadcast on ESPN in primetime. For fans, collegiate athletic conferences, corporate sponsors, and the Shreveport/Bossier regional community.
• Kickoff Dinner Ticketed annual speaker-dinner event held in the lead-up to the college football season, featuring prominent collegiate sports figures; the 2026 edition features former LSU great and Super Bowl champion Tyrann Mathieu. For fans, sponsors, and community members.
• 50th Anniversary Merchandise Licensed 50th anniversary and throwback apparel and merchandise sold direct-to-consumer through the Independence Bowl online shop. For college football fans, alumni, and supporters.
• Foundation Membership Annual foundation membership program that gives fans and supporters benefits tied to the Independence Bowl game and year-round engagement with the foundation. For college football fans and community supporters.
• Event Tickets Tickets sold online and on-site for gameday events, fan events, community events, and foundation events, including the annual Kickoff Dinner. For fans and event attendees.
• Sponsorship Programs Corporate sponsorship opportunities for the Independence Bowl and its events, structured to provide brand exposure to a national college football audience; current title sponsor is Radiance Technologies, with additional conference and regional partners. For corporate brand and marketing organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Third Independence Bowl alumni selected first overall in the NFL Draft (Fernando Mendoza, 2026, Las Vegas Raiders)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ESPNcoreTechnology or IntegrationESPN is the national broadcast partner for the Independence Bowl. The 50th Independence Bowl is scheduled for broadcast on ESPN in primetime on December 22 at 7:30 p.m. CST. ESPN provides national television distribution and media production for the event.
• Big 12 ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Big 12 Conference is listed as a partner of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, providing participating teams and conference alignment with the bowl game.
• Pac-12 ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Pac-12 Conference is listed as a partner of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, providing participating teams and conference alignment with the bowl game.
• American Athletic ConferencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe American Athletic Conference is listed as a partner of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, providing participating teams and conference alignment with the bowl game.
• Conference USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference USA is listed as a partner of the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl, providing participating teams and conference alignment with the bowl game.
• Bowl SeasoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBowl Season is a partner organization representing the broader college football bowl game ecosystem, affiliated with the Independence Bowl as a member of the bowl game landscape.
• OriginBankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOriginBank is listed as a partner on the Independence Bowl's website, representing a regional banking partner.
• Coca-Cola UnitedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoca-Cola United is listed as a partner on the Independence Bowl's website, representing a regional beverage partner.
• Ruby Shore SoftwareminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRuby Shore Software is credited as the website developer for the Independence Bowl Foundation's website, indicating a web development and software services partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Citrus Sports (Citrus Bowl): Operates the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Direct mid-tier peer — nonprofit foundation running a long-standing bowl game with ESPN broadcast and conference partnerships.
• Liberty Bowl Foundation: Operates the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis. Closely comparable mid-tier bowl game organized by a nonprofit foundation, with title sponsorship, ESPN broadcast, and conference partnerships.
• Sun Bowl Association: Operates the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl in El Paso, one of the older college bowl games. Comparable nonprofit operating model, single annual bowl event, ESPN broadcast exposure, and reliance on title sponsors.
• Alamo Bowl Committee: Operates the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. Direct peer as a mid-to-upper tier ESPN-broadcast bowl run by a dedicated foundation with conference tie-ins and corporate title sponsorship.
• Music City Bowl: Operates the TransPerfect Music City Bowl in Nashville. Comparable bowl foundation with ESPN broadcast, SEC/Big Ten tie-ins, and similar sponsorship and ticketing model.
• Sugar Bowl Committee: Operates the Allstate Sugar Bowl, another long-running New Year's-era college football bowl game held in New Orleans. Directly comparable as a single-product nonprofit foundation running a historic college bowl with broadcast partnerships and corporate sponsorships.
• Gator Bowl Association: Operates the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl in Jacksonville. Similar collegiate bowl foundation structure, ESPN/CBS broadcast exposure, and corporate title sponsorship model.

Broad incumbents

• Peach Bowl, Inc. Operates the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and the surrounding College Football Hall of Fame, a CFP/New Year's Six property with much larger scale, ESPN partnership, and broader programming portfolio.
• Cotton Bowl Athletic Association: Operates the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, a College Football Playoff/New Year's Six property. Same operational model (bowl foundation) but at a significantly larger scale and revenue tier.

Emerging players

• Fenway Bowl (was Bowl Season member): Part of the broader bowl ecosystem governed through Bowl Season. Representative of newer/smaller postseason bowl properties that compete with established mid-tier bowls like the Independence Bowl for conference tie-ins and ESPN inventory.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IndyBowl
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IndyBowlMedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/indybowl
• Instagraminstagram.com/indybowl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/independence-bowl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Independence Bowl Foundation, Inc