PLANO, Texas, Nov. 30, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tostitos brand, in a joint effort with the USO, today announced plans to host the Tostitos "Connect to Home Bowl," a one-of-a-kind college football experience that will bring our troops stationed overseas a taste of home for the holidays. The unique bowl-game-inspired celebration, complete with all the game-day rituals and a chance for troops to play football with college football legends, builds on the tradition ignited last year when Tostitos and the USO first created this exclusive college football experience for U.S. troops abroad.
"For many of our troops serving overseas, watching college football is a special way to reconnect with home – from the coin toss to the marching bands to seeing the action on the field," said Justin Lambeth, vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay. "That's why Tostitos – a brand that has always seen college football as a unique way to bring people together – is so excited to once again join with the USO to bring the excitement of college football, and a taste of home, to our troops serving overseas during the holiday season."
The "Connect to Home Bowl" will be held at an undisclosed military base in the Persian Gulf during the time period when college football bowl games take place back in the United States. The event will put legendary college football coaches Bobby Bowden and Gene Stallings at the helm of two unique teams composed of former college all-stars and active military heroes playing alongside one another as part of a one-of-a-kind flag football competition. This truly unique match-up will include participation from college football greats, including Jim Kelly, Rodney Peete and Zach Thomas, among others.
Highlights from the event will be captured and shared at halftime during the nationwide broadcast of the 2011 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on ESPN on January 1, 2011 and at www.facebook.com/Tostitos. PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division has been a longtime supporter of college football, including 16-years as the title sponsor of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
The full roster of coaches and players includes:
"We are thankful to have the Tostitos brand as a returning partner to help create this unique college football experience," said Sloan Gibson, USO president. "Last year, we saw firsthand how meaningful this experience was for the men and women serving our country overseas. It's thrilling to see this becoming a cherished tradition that will now bring joy to even more troops as we help them stay connected to their families back home during a time of year that matters most, the holidays."
Tostitos tortilla chips is one of the many brands that make up Frito-Lay North America, the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fritolay.
PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generates more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in more than 200 countries. With annualized revenues of nearly $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.
The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families millions of times each year at thousands of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen.
The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors. In addition to individual donors and other corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners American Airlines, AT&T Inc., BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Gallery Furniture, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble and TriWest Healthcare Alliance. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this patriotic mission and to learn more about the USO, please visit www.uso.org.
Contact: | |
Chris Kuechenmeister | |
Frito-Lay | |
972-334-2044 | |
Oname Thompson | |
USO | |
703-908-6471 | |
SOURCE Frito-Lay