Lock of the year: USF will not go to magicJack St. Pete Bowl in ‘09

Posted Feb 10, 2009 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Feb 10, 2009 at 11:49 PM

There will be not be any back-to-back appearances in the magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl for the University of South Florida this season.

That’s because the magicJack St. Petersburg Bowl no longer exists. Well at least, the magicJack part. The St. Petersburg Bowl is seeking a new title name sponsor after magicJack did not extend its naming rights deal past the inaugural game.

“We are confident that we will find a new partner here in St. Petersburg,” said Carlos Padilla, the St. Pete Bowl’s marketing director. “It is a great product in the best destination in the country. It gives a company the opportunity to get in on the ground floor and really take part in creating something special and tailored to their needs. They are not just throwing their name onto a sporting event or traditional media product that doesn’t bend.”

USF defeated Memphis in the inaugural game in December.

“Although we are disappointed to have lost such a great partner in magicJack, we feel as if many more people now know exactly what a magicJack is,” Padilla said. “Over 80 million people had access to watch this game. We wish them the best of luck.”