Papa John's doesn't renew as sponsor of Birmingham's bowl

The Papajohns.com Bowl is searching for a new name. The bowl announced today that Papa John's has not picked up its option to remain the title sponsor of the 4-year-old bowl, which is scheduled to match the SEC against the Big East. The bowl, owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television, will be rebranded the Birmingham Bowl as ESPN seeks a new title sponsor. ESPN is licensed with the NCAA for the game to be played in Birmingham through the 2013 season. The bowl recently completed four-year agreements with the SEC and Big East that include higher payouts to the conference as part of a complex sharing arrangement that also includes the Liberty Bowl. "We are excited about the future of this game and look forward to continuing the growth we have experienced in our first four years," Birmingham Bowl executive director Mark Meadows said in a statement. "Our agreements with both the SEC and Big East will assure that we continue to provide the competitive and entertaining game that our fans have come to expect." Papa John's and ESPN Regional had an agreement for the past two years and a two-year renewal option for the 2010 and 2011 seasons that Papa John's didn't pick up. In January, Papa John's invested in a three-year, multi-million dollar to become the official sponsor of the NFL and the Super Bowl. It was the largest sponsorship deal in Papa John's history and allows the Louisville-based company to use NFL logos and trademarks in its advertising and marketing. This season's Birmingham Bowl will be Saturday, Jan. 8 at Legion Field. The bowl has also rebranded its web site to birminghambowl.com.