Russell Athletic Bowl: New Sponsor for Orlando Bowl Good for Everyday Fan

Look out, Orlando, there's a new sponsor in town—Russell Athletic.

This news has to be particularly exciting for Georgia Tech and Ohio, the only two college football teams lucky enough to sport the Russell Athletic brand. Even luckier for Georgia Tech which actually has an opportunity to make it to this bowl game.

Despite only having two college football teams sponsored by their brand, Russell Athletic does believe they are a good fit for this bowl game sponsorship. As Gary Barfield, executive vice president, Russell Brands, LLC said in today's press release, “As a brand whose heritage is so deeply rooted in college football, it is a natural fit for Russell Athletic to partner with FCSports for the Russell Athletic Bowl."

Personally, I agree that this sponsorship is a good fit. I don't necessarily believe so because it is as "rooted" within college football as Russell Athletic is claiming but more because the brand represents the average person.

Everyone here knows someone who has at some point worn a Russell Athletic piece of clothing. Mine was a Nebraska Cornhuskers red and black winter jacket that was all the rage in 1995. I may even still have that jacket. That's the beauty of this sponsorship.

So get excited, ACC and Big East. You are now vying to compete in the new Russell Athletic Bowl (although the bowl itself has been around for 23 years). Champs Sports will still be an "Official Partner" to this bowl until 2014, so I'm holding out hope there will be some cross-marketing between the two. I've even thought up a slogan for the brand, free of charge:

Russell Athletic. The Wrangler of sweatpants.