ESPN: St Petersburg Bowl to Drop Bitcoin Branding
The 2015 edition of the St Petersburg Bowl is currently undergoing a branding change that may diminish the event's association with bitcoin.
Apr 1, 2015 at 9:45 p.m. UTC
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The 2015 edition of the St Petersburg Bowl will not be known as the Bitcoin St Petersburg Bowl, according to ESPN.
A representative from the TV news source would not comment as to whether the move foretells a sponsorship change for this year's event, or if it is currently seeking a new sponsor for the 2015 bowl game. Last year's event was sponsored by bitcoin processor BitPay, which inked a three-year deal to brand the college football playoff.
The spokesperson told CoinDesk:
While the 'Bitcoin Bowl' was a ratings hit and a symbolic event for the bitcoin community at large, its effectiveness as a marketing tool was called into question by the mixed merchant reaction to its promotional tactics.
The comment is a response to strong social media reaction that followed the removal of last year's bitcoin-centric imagery from the event's website and related social media accounts.
ESPN offered no additional comment, while BitPay has been unresponsive to requests for further information. A representative from Tropicana Field, the stadium that hosts the annual event, was unable to provide insight into the matter, stating:
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Disclaimer: CoinDesk founder Shakil Khan is an investor in BitPay.
Football image via Shutterstock
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