Sun Bowl Association

What Sun Bowl Association does

The Sun Bowl Association is a volunteer-driven, 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1934 and headquartered at 4150 Pinnacle Street, Suite 100, El Paso, Texas, that produces the annual Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl college football game and a year-round calendar of community events. Its primary constituents are college football fans (primarily ACC and Pac-12 conference audiences), corporate sponsors, and El Paso residents, with a small seven-person staff supported by 700+ volunteers. The flagship 93rd annual game is scheduled for December 31, 2026, drawing 44,975 attendees at the most recent edition.

The organization's core product is the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl — an NCAA Division I FBS post-season bowl game under a multi-year title sponsorship with Kellogg's Frosted Flakes (in place since August 20, 2019), broadcast on CBS Sports (50+ telecasts, the second longest-running sports program on CBS behind the Masters). Surrounding the football game is a portfolio of 13+ ancillary events: the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational (basketball, since 1961), the Nusenda Credit Union Sun Bowl Pickleball Tournament, the Glasheen Valles & Inderman Sun Bowl Parade (Thanksgiving Day), the Sun Bowl Fan Fiesta (presented by El Paso Live), the Sun Bowl Pregame Fan Party (presented by Visit El Paso), the Fan Golf Challenge, the Kick-Off Par-Tee, the Sun Bowl Cheer Camp, the Sun Bowl Basketball Skills Camp (presented by Marathon), the Sun Bowl Art Exhibit, Selection Sunday, and the Sun Court ambassador program. There is no proprietary technology stack; the organization runs on a standard web/digital infrastructure with ticket distribution via Ticketmaster and a merchandise storefront at sunbowl.shop.

The business model is event-driven nonprofit: revenue streams include ticket sales via Ticketmaster, corporate sponsorships (title, presenting, and event-tier — including WestStar, a community bank with assets exceeding $3.1 billion), ancillary event registration fees (e.g., $70 per golfer for the scramble, $200 individual / $1,000 five-player bay rate for the Kick-Off Par-Tee), and earned media value from the CBS broadcast and KTSM local television partnership. Bernie Olivas serves as Executive Director with Richard Dayoub installed as 2026-27 President; an economic impact study by Dr. David Schauer at UTEP attributes $12-$15 million in annual direct economic benefit to El Paso from the bowl game.

Name

Sun Bowl Association

Legal name

Sun Bowl Association

Website

https://sunbowl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Sun Bowl Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating the annual Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl college football game and a portfolio of 13+ year-round community events in El Paso, Texas, serving football fans, corporate sponsors, and the local community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Event Management

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Other Spectator Sports (711219)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Collegiate & Scholastic Tournament Organizers (MPAKADAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Meet & Invitational Organizers (MPAKADAC)

Keywords

• College football bowl game
• Sports event management
• Community event organization
• Corporate sports sponsorships
• Event ticketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

El Paso

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for the annual Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl football game, sold primarily through Ticketmaster platform
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Title sponsorships and partner sponsorships from companies including Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, WestStar, Glasheen Valles & Inderman, El Paso Live, Visit El Paso, and others
3. Event Revenue: Registration fees and revenue from ancillary events including pickleball tournament, golf challenge, cheer camp, and fan fiesta events

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Sun Bowl Association organizes the annual Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl college football game featuring ACC vs. Pac-12 conference matchups in El Paso, Texas. The Association also operates a year-round portfolio of 13+ community sporting and cultural events including a pickleball tournament, basketball invitational, parade, fan fiesta, golf challenge, cheer camp, art exhibit, and ambassador program, all delivered by a small staff supported by 700+ volunteers.

Product overview

The Sun Bowl Association is a volunteer-based non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that operates as a portfolio of event-based products centered around the annual Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl football game and related community events. The core offering is the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl (93rd edition scheduled for December 31, 2026), which features ACC vs. Pac-12 college football matchups. Supporting the main game is a portfolio of 13+ annual events including the Nusenda Credit Union Sun Bowl Pickleball Tournament, Glasheen Valles & Inderman Sun Bowl Parade, WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational (basketball), Sun Bowl Fan Fiesta, Sun Bowl Cheer Camp, Sun Bowl Fan Golf Challenge, Kick Off Par-Tee, Sun Bowl Art Exhibit, Selection Sunday, and the Sun Court ambassador program. The organization relies on over 700 volunteers and generates significant community engagement through these festive events celebrating El Paso's diverse cultural heritage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl The annual college football bowl game played in El Paso, Texas, featuring teams from the ACC and Pac-12 conferences. The 93rd edition is scheduled for December 31, 2026.
• Nusenda Credit Union Sun Bowl Pickleball Tournament Annual pickleball tournament featuring men's and women's singles and doubles, mixed doubles, and hybrid wheelchair divisions across various skill levels and age groups, with cash prizes for professional divisions.
• Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl Fan Fiesta presented by El Paso LIVE Free family-friendly event held a day before the football game featuring musical performances by local bands, university pep rallies, and a battle of the university bands.
• Glasheen, Valles & Inderman Injury Lawyers Sun Bowl Parade Annual Thanksgiving Day parade celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2026 with the theme 'Famous Sports & Movie Scenes', televised on KTSM News Ch. 9.
• WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational The nation's oldest collegiate holiday basketball tournament, started in 1961, renamed to honor the legacy of former UTEP coach Don Haskins.
• Sun Bowl Cheer Camp Skills camp for underserved children in the El Paso community where participants learn drills and cheer routines with instructors and cheerleaders.
• Sun Bowl Fan Golf Challenge Public four-person scramble format golf tournament held at Butterfield Trail Golf Club, with registration fee including green fee, cart, range balls, TaylorMade Golf Balls, lunch, and tournament hat.
• Kick Off Par-Tee Fundraising event sponsored by the Rotary Club of El Paso for their annual Children's Christmas Party, held at Top Golf El Paso, where fans interact with players from the participating university teams.
• Sun Bowl Art Exhibit Annual art exhibition showcasing local and regional artists, held at the International Museum of Art.
• Selection Sunday Annual event announcing the teams selected for the upcoming Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game, held at Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino.
• Sun Court Ambassador Program Royal court program consisting of a queen, lady-in-waiting, and 10-14 young women who serve as ambassadors for the city of El Paso and the Sun Bowl Association, volunteering at community events throughout the year.

Quantifiable outcome

• Generates $12-15 million in direct economic impact for El Paso annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Glasheen, Valles & Inderman Injury LawyerscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 29 April 2026Three-year extension announced April 29, 2026 for parade sponsorship. The firm has been partnered with the Sun Bowl Association for over 5 years. Named Best Law Firm in El Paso by The City Magazine readers.
• Kellogg's Frosted FlakesflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 August 2019Title sponsor of the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Kellogg's Frosted Flakes has been the title sponsor since August 20, 2019, rebranding the game as the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. The sponsorship includes Tony the Tiger branding elements.
• CBS SportsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTelevision broadcast partner. The Sun Bowl has been telecast on CBS over 50 times, making it the second longest-running sports program on CBS behind the Masters tournament.
• WestStarcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational (basketball tournament started in 1961, nation's oldest collegiate holiday basketball tournament). WestStar is El Paso's largest, locally-owned community bank with assets of more than $3.1 Billion.
• El Paso LivecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresents the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl Fan Fiesta. El Paso Live is a division of Destination El Paso providing venue management and event development services, managed by ASM Global.
• Visit El PasocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresents the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl Pregame Fan Party. The destination marketing organization for El Paso promoting tourism and conventions.
• Nusenda Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of the Nusenda Credit Union Sun Bowl Pickleball Tournament. Credit union dedicated to improving members' financial well-being and supporting communities in New Mexico.
• Rotary Club of El PasominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor of the Kick-Off Par-Tee event to raise funds for their annual Children's Christmas Party serving 4,500 Head Start children in Region 19.
• Eastwood High School / Ysleta Independent School DistrictminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvided facilities for the Nusenda Credit Union Sun Bowl Pickleball Tournament at Eastwood High School.
• El Paso Children’s HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrevious sponsor of the Kick-Off Par-Tee event, supporting the Rotary Club's Children's Christmas Party initiative.
• Coca-Cola Bowl SeasonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner promoting the bowl system tradition and college football post-season at a national level.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Valero Alamo Bowl: Operates the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, a comparable mid-to-upper-tier college football bowl game with strong title sponsorship, regional economic impact, and community festival programming.
• Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: Operates the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, one of the historic New Year's bowl games. Comparable in nonprofit event-organizer structure, title sponsorship model, and emphasis on community-side programming around the main game.
• Sugar Bowl Committee: Operates the Allstate Sugar Bowl, another long-running college football bowl game with a comparable nonprofit event-organization model, title sponsorship structure, and New Year's post-season positioning.
• Fiesta Bowl Organization: Runs the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and ancillary events including a parade, festival, and other community programming — directly comparable in operating model, title sponsorship economics, and College Football Playoff/New Year's Six positioning.
• Orange Bowl Committee: Organizes the Capital One Orange Bowl, a long-standing college football bowl game. Operates under a similar community-based, event-driven nonprofit model and competes for the same elite conference tie-ins and title sponsors.
• Rose Bowl (Tournament of Roses): Operates the iconic Rose Bowl Game, one of college football's most prestigious bowl games and a direct comparator to the Sun Bowl in terms of event organization, title sponsorship model, and community festival programming (Rose Parade).
• Citrus Sports (Citrus Bowl): Operates the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl and related Orlando-based community events. Comparable in operating a non-CFP bowl game with title sponsorship and event-based community programming.
• Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: Operates the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and a portfolio of ancillary events. Comparable in nonprofit bowl-operator model, title sponsor-driven revenue, and CFP/New Year's Six positioning relative to the Sun Bowl.
• Holiday Bowl (San Diego Bowl Game Association): Operates the Holiday Bowl in San Diego, a directly comparable older-generation college football bowl game with similar nonprofit structure, title sponsorship history, and reliance on tourism and regional economic impact.

Broad incumbents

• ESPN Events: Operates a broad portfolio of owned and operated college football bowl games (e.g., Myrtle Beach Bowl, Boca Raton Bowl) and other invitational events. Not a direct single-bowl peer, but a large incumbent shaping the same bowl ecosystem, title sponsor market, and CFP-era dynamics that affect the Sun Bowl.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TonytheTigerSB
• Facebookfacebook.com/SunBowlAssociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/tonythetigersunbowl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-sun-bowl-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Sun Bowl Association