Discover to sponsor Orange Bowl in 4-year deal

The Orange Bowl will soon be the Discover Orange Bowl.

Riverwoods-based Discover Financial Services and ESPN announced Thursday that an agreement has been reached for Discover to be the title sponsor for the Orange Bowl Games for four years beginning in 2011.

The deal covers naming rights for five games, including the January 2012 national championship game at Sun Life Stadium near Miami. This year's game is set for Jan. 3, 2011.

"Our Card members are very passionate about college football," said Harit Talwar, president of U.S. Cards for Discover.

As sponsor, the company will be giving card members "exclusive benefits, including ticket offers and unique experiences at the Discover Orange Bowl," Talwar said in a statement released Thursday.

The move comes several months after FedEx dropped its sponsorship. The company had been a partner with for the Orange Bowl for 21 years. FedEx dropped its naming rights largely because ESPN wanted the title sponsor to pay more than it had in past years.

Talwar would not reveal the terms of the Orange Bowl deal.

Northbrook-based Allstate Corp. is the other suburban sponsor of a major college football game, the Sugar Bowl.