Financial services company USAA has been named the presenting sponsor of the 2016 edition of all-star NFL American football game the Pro Bowl.
The game, which takes place at the Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 31, will take on the official title of the 2016 Pro Bowl presented by USAA.
The company’s sponsorship extends to the 2016 Pro Bowl Draft and it will also team up with the NFL to create a co-branded Pro Bowl logo. The draft will take place at Wheeler Army Airfield on January 27. USAA, which serves armed forces personnel and their families, is the official military appreciation sponsor of the NFL.
As part of its sponsorship of the Pro Bowl, USAA will host 50 military guests and wounded personnel at an official team practice on January 29. The company will also develop a commemorative Pro Bowl Military Challenge Coin to mark the 75th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The coin will be used during the game’s pre-match coin toss.
In addition, a tour of the Marine Corps Base in Hawaii will be made available to Pro Bowl players on January 28.
“Hawaii is home to more than 50,000 active military members and their families, and USAA’s Pro Bowl sponsorship is a powerful way to demonstrate our appreciation to the military community,” John Bird, USAA senior vice-president of military affairs, said.
“Thousands of service members and their families will have the opportunity to interact with the NFL’s biggest stars during Pro Bowl Week through the many experiences USAA and the NFL will host together. With 2016 marking the 75th anniversary of the December 7 attack on Pearl Harbor, this is also a timely way for USAA to recognise the sacrifices made on that day and the impact this event had on our nation.”
Former NFL stars Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin will host the two teams competing at next month’s Pro Bowl. USAA became the first official military appreciation sponsor of a professional sports league when it joined forces with the NFL in 2011.