VRBO Signs on as Title Sponsor of Citrus Bowl

ORLANDO — VRBO®, the site travelers use to book beach houses, cabins and condos, has reached an agreement with ESPN and Florida Citrus Sports (FCS) to be the title sponsor of the VRBO Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. on New Year’s Day on ABC and will host top teams from the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences.

“Florida is one of VRBO’s most popular vacation home destinations so it’s fitting to see our logo on the 50-yard line of the VRBO Citrus Bowl,” said Bill Furlong, vice president of VRBO, Americas. “We are proud to welcome football fans from all over to this family vacation hot spot and know they’ll enjoy the space, privacy and value the vacation homes and condos they’re staying in provide.”

VRBO will receive national exposure through television, radio and online media and will be recognized in all game promotion. VRBO will also be featured on signage and event collateral throughout bowl week and in the stadium on game day.

“We’re excited to pair Orlando, the top tourist destination in the world, with a growing vacation rental brand in VRBO,” said Steve Hogan, CEO of Florida Citrus Sports. “We look forward to helping fans from the Big Ten and SEC make plans in Central Florida this holiday season.”

The VRBO Citrus Bowl will be the 73rd edition of Orlando’s New Year’s Day classic, the seventh-oldest bowl game in the country. The game has traditionally featured top teams from the Big Ten and SEC with occasional appearances by the Atlantic Coast Conference.

In last year’s matchup, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish — currently ranked No. 3 and trending for this year’s College Football Playoff — defeated the LSU Tigers 21-17 on a thrilling late touchdown pass from Ian Book to Miles Boykin.