• December 27, 2012

The first-ever Russell Athletic Bowl is a sign of where the athletic gear brand is going and how it's ramping up sponsorships and marketing, according to NYSportsJournalism.com. The Russell Athletic Bowl is played under the auspices of Florida Citrus Sports. In June of this year, Russell Athletic signed a deal for title sponsorship through 2015. Russell Athletic will use the game to support its current marketing campaign, "Together We R," from lead agency The Richards Group, Dallas, via TV commercials, signage, social media and fan and client activation in the days leading to the game. The deal also gives Russell Athletic apparel rights to all FCS events.  In this Q&A, NYSportsJournalism spoke with Gary Barfield, EVP for Bowling Green, KY-based Russell Athletic (a division of Berkshire Hathaway), about the challenges, rewards and strategies behind the brand's first college football Bowl title sponsorship.