🏈 BREAKING: A NEW ERA BEGINS — OLD EL PASO SUN BOWL IS HERE

EL PASO, TEXAS — September 17, 2026 — The Sun Bowl Association has officially opened a new chapter in the history of El Paso's signature college football event. Old El Paso has been named the new title sponsor of the Sun Bowl, bringing together two brands whose histories are deeply connected to the Borderland. Beginning with the 2026 game, the event will officially be known as the Old El Paso Sun Bowl. The announcement was made Thursday by the Sun Bowl Association, marking the first major title-sponsorship change for the game following the conclusion of its previous partnership. But this isn't simply a new name on a bowl game. For Old El Paso, the partnership represents something much more personal: a return to the community where its story began. 🌵 A BRAND WITH EL PASO ROOTS According to the Sun Bowl Association's announcement, the Old El Paso brand traces its roots back to 1917, when the Mountain Pass Canning Company began producing canned foods in the El Paso region. In 1938, the company adopted the Old El Paso name. Over the decades, the brand expanded from its early canned-food roots into a nationally recognized Mexican-inspired food brand, eventually offering products ranging from: Taco shells Hot sauces Seasonings Meal kits Other Tex-Mex products Today, Old El Paso is part of General Mills, whose portfolio also includes brands such as Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Totino's and Annie's. For Old El Paso, however, becoming the title sponsor of the Sun Bowl means returning to the city that helped establish its identity. “A TRUE HOMECOMING” Ben Bienert, Old El Paso Business Unit Director at General Mills, described the partnership as a homecoming for the brand. The company says it sees a natural connection between a college football bowl game and its own emphasis on bringing people together around meals, family and shared experiences. And there is another familiar character coming along for the ride. Elroy, Old El Paso's larger-than-life singing cowboy, is expected to become part of the Sun Bowl celebration, with the brand promising his signature personality both inside the stadium and around the surrounding events. That could give the 2026 Sun Bowl an entirely different visual and entertainment identity. 🏆 THE 93RD SUN BOWL The new sponsorship arrives as the Sun Bowl prepares for its 93rd annual game. The 2026 Old El Paso Sun Bowl is scheduled for: 📅 Thursday, December 31, 2026 📍 El Paso, Texas 📺 CBS ⏰ 2 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. MT The game will feature a matchup between teams from the ACC and Legacy Pac-12 Conferences. CBS' relationship with the Sun Bowl also remains intact. The network has televised the game since 1968, making its relationship with the Sun Bowl Association one of CBS' longest-running partnerships. 🤝 TWO EL PASO CONNECTIONS COLLIDE There is something fitting about the partnership. The Sun Bowl has spent generations building its identity around El Paso, while Old El Paso's own history began in the same region more than a century ago. Now, those two identities will share the same name. OLD EL PASO SUN BOWL. The newly unveiled logo reflects that connection, combining the recognizable Old El Paso visual identity with the traditional Sun Bowl imagery and colors. It is a significant branding moment for the bowl — one that places a distinctly El Paso-rooted name at the center of the city's biggest annual college football event. 💼 THE BUSINESS BEHIND THE DEAL The partnership was brokered by THE·TEAM, a global sport, music and entertainment company, through its dedicated U.S. Rights Sales group. That group represents the Sun Bowl Association's commercial rights. The deal also demonstrates the continued importance of corporate title sponsorship to college football bowl organizations, particularly for an independent postseason event with a long-standing community presence. 🌟 MORE THAN A FOOTBALL GAME The Sun Bowl Association emphasized that the football game is only the centerpiece of a much larger year-round operation. The organization is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by more than 700 volunteers. Its annual calendar includes multiple community events leading into the bowl game, including: Nusenda Credit Union Sun Bowl Pickleball Tournament Glasheen, Valles, & Inderman Injury Lawyers Sun Bowl Parade WestStar Don Haskins Sun Bowl Basketball Invitational Old El Paso Sun Bowl Fan Fiesta presented by El Paso LIVE Sun Bowl Pregame Fan Party presented by Visit El Paso That means the Old El Paso partnership won't simply be visible for a few hours on December 31. The brand will become part of a broader Sun Bowl calendar throughout the year. 🌮🏈 A NEW ERA IN EL PASO For decades, the Sun Bowl has evolved with the times, changing sponsors while maintaining its place on the college football calendar. Now comes another evolution. But this time, the name attached to the game has a particularly strong connection to El Paso itself. Old El Paso isn't just bringing its name to the Sun Bowl. It's bringing a brand with more than a century of history tied to the region back into the spotlight. And on December 31, when the 93rd Sun Bowl kicks off under the CBS lights, El Paso will officially welcome in the Old El Paso Sun Bowl era. New name. New chapter. Same Sun Bowl tradition. From El Paso roots to a national college football stage — Old El Paso is coming home. — PREP1 Sports | El Paso, Texas