Arkansas
Greedy Companies Ruining Spirit of Super Bowl in Places Like Arkansas
Growing up in SEC country in the 1990s along the tomato fields of Southeast Arkansas left little room for passion toward an NFL team.
During college football season, it was all about the SEC. Being that far away from the University of Arkansas with Ole Miss, LSU, Mississippi State Alabama and even technically Vanderbilt being closer than the Razorbacks, there was the obligatory requirement to wear Arkansas gear, but a lot of people had another college team on the side.
For a lot of people in that area in those days it was often LSU or Mississippi State with an equal chance of Tennessee, Notre Dame, USC or a more local team like Northeast Louisiana (Louisiana-Monroe) or Louisiana Tech. Saturdays were for football.
The mornings were pee-wee football and the rest of the day and night were college. As for Sundays, they were for church and visiting with family.
Football wasn’t in the equation. Unless an NFL team showed up on Monday Night Football, which was the biggest game of the week in those days, it wasn’t going to be seen in most households.
Even then, the great Barry Sanders and his Detroit Lions were only going to be seen for a half no matter how close the game or how insane Sanders was playing because school came first.
It wasn’t until the playoffs that the NFL got watched in a casual fashion and that was only if it didn’t interfere with Nolan Richardson’s Razorback basketball teams.
People would pick a team to ride with, but it wasn’t serious with only one or two exceptions.
One neighbor followed the New Orleans Saints, another claimed the Chicago Bears, the other was a big enough Miami fan to know if the Dolphins won or lost each week and whether Dan Marino had a good game while his stepdad cared enough about Green Bay for it to bother him if I said something about Brett Favre throwing a pick to lose to Troy Aikman and the Cowboys.
As for me, I adopted the Buffalo Bills. For some reason I liked their colors and also several players. I was a fan of quarterback Jim Kelly, running back Thurman Thomas, receivers Andre Reed and James Lofton and monster defensive lineman Bruce Smith.
After they finished losing Super Bowl after Super Bowl, I became teamless once more and the Super Bowl became what it’s about for many Razorbacks fans — the commercials.
It was such a golden age for that because that’s when it became a true marketing focus. There was the Bud Bowl, a Super Bowl played out between bottles of Budweiser and Bud Light over multiple commercials.
We saw the arrival of the Clydesdales for the first time as one kicked a field goal and also the Budweiser frogs. There was also the great battle between Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, the Budweiser fire dog commercial, Monster.com’s “When I Grow Up” and eventually the infamous Puppy Monkey Baby.
For decades I talked and played games with friends during the game and decided whether the halftime show was worth my time, but everyone was in agreed silence when the commercials came on. Once the game was over, we all argued which were the best commercials. Were you a Terry Tate: Office Linebacker guy, or did you prefer the zebra doing instant replay to see whether a Clydesdale stepped out of bounds or perhaps the Fed Ex Castaway parody where he found out the package contained everything he needed to escape the island the whole time?
But lately some companies have begun doing their best to ruin the Super Bowl experience for people in the SEC footprint. They have started running their Super Bowl ads not only before the actual game, but weeks before the game.
It’s like telling a young boy what he is getting for Christmas over Thanksgiving dinner. It’s just not right.
This year’s greatest offender has been Pepsi. They started showing their Coca Cola polar bear rip-off ad a while ago and it’s been everywhere.
It’s like waiting for three weeks to go see a blockbuster movie with a family member and trying to avoid spoilers. Because of this treacherous behavior, I won’t be partaking in Pepsi during the Super Bowl or the months that follow.
It’s sacrilege. The logic doesn’t even make sense.
By the time the Super Bowl comes around. the ad has been out so long and seen so much that it’s no longer a Super Bowl commercial.
It’s just a basic commercial at that point. It’s not special and shouldn’t even be considered when the lists come out for Super Bowl ad rankings.
Sure, places like Arkansas don’t really matter to the NFL. It certainly doesn’t matter to the people there most of the time.
However, the one time each matter to one another is the most profitable weekend of the year for the NFL. Sure, there is little the league can do, but there needs to some sort of effort to stop practices like those used by Pepsi.
Perhaps have teams that plan to release their commercials ahead of time move down the list in priority for prime spots during the game. If they claim they won’t and do it anyway, then move them down the priority list the next year.
Just please don’t let them ruin football Christmas anymore. It’s just unAmerican.
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Arkansas
Arkansas basketball stars Meleek Thomas, Trevon Brazile selected in NBA Draft second round | Whole Hog Sports
Arkansas
Arkansas Athletics, CommunityAmerica Credit Union launch multi-year partnership including Razorback Stadium naming rights
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas Department of Athletics has signed a long-term partnership with CommunityAmerica Credit Union, marking a significant step in the credit union’s growing commitment to Northwest Arkansas. Facilitated by Learfield and Razorback Sports Properties, Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium will become CommunityAmerica Razorback Stadium beginning with the 2027 football season.
Rooted in more than 85 years of helping individuals and families achieve financial peace of mind and building on a 65-year legacy of service in Arkansas, CommunityAmerica is excited to engage with Razorback fans and support the communities they call home.
“This is so much more than a name on a stadium. It’s about becoming part of the Razorback Nation experience and helping fans, students, student-athletes and the communities we and the university serve,” said Lisa Ginter, Chief Executive Officer of CommunityAmerica Credit Union. “Our members are at the heart of everything we do and when we evaluate partnerships like this, it starts with what matters most to them. The University of Arkansas is a powerful source of pride and connection for people across the state and in many of our markets. This partnership underscores our long-term commitment to Northwest Arkansas, where we look forward to growing our presence and helping more families achieve financial peace of mind. We’re already deepening our roots with plans for a campus location and several new branches throughout the region.”
The multi-phased partnership extends beyond naming rights and designates CommunityAmerica as the Official Credit Union of Arkansas Athletics. CommunityAmerica will also serve as an official sponsor of Arkansas Athletics, supporting student-athletes and fans alike. The comprehensive partnership will also include the rebranding of the SEC Club inside Razorback Stadium as the CommunityAmerica Club, where fans enjoy premium amenities on gameday. As part of the agreement, CommunityAmerica will engage directly with Razorback student-athletes providing Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities, valuable financial education and programs to help them succeed both on and off the field.
“We are thrilled to welcome CommunityAmerica Credit Union as the Official Credit Union of Arkansas Athletics as one piece of a partnership that will benefit our student-athletes, fans and the state of Arkansas for years to come,” said Hunter Yurachek, Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics at the University of Arkansas. “Our vision in the Department of Athletics is to be our best and CommunityAmerica’s commitment to excellence as a trusted, people-driven financial institution mirrors that same vision. This partnership is just getting started but its impact will help shape our future.”
Beginning with the 2027 football season, the partnership will expand into its second phase with the naming of CommunityAmerica Razorback Stadium and the launch of CommunityAmerica Razorback Checking, Debit and Credit Cards.
With a legacy of serving members across Arkansas and nationwide, CommunityAmerica is ranked among the most trusted and innovative credit unions in the country and among the largest in the Midwest. CommunityAmerica is excited to engage and serve Razorback fans and members more deeply with a variety of financial products and services that align to their passion for the University.
“Our members are proud of where they live and what they stand behind, and for so many in Arkansas and across our shared communities, that means being part of Razorback Nation,” Ginter said. “As we look ahead to launching Razorback-branded products in 2027, we’re excited to offer experiences that celebrate that pride, strengthen relationships and deliver meaningful value for the people and communities we serve.”
“This is a historic partnership featuring an innovative brand with a passion and proven track record of supporting their community, paired with one of the leading college athletics programs in the country,” said Allison Fillmore, Senior Vice President, Business Development at Learfield. “Learfield and Razorback Sports Properties are excited to collaborate with Arkansas Athletics, which will enhance fan and student-athlete experiences for years to come.”
Razorback Sports Properties is the locally based Learfield team that is the exclusive multimedia rights holder for Arkansas Athletics and oversees all sponsorship agreements on behalf of the Razorbacks.
About the University of Arkansas Department of Intercollegiate Athletics
The University of Arkansas Department of Intercollegiate Athletics pursues its vision to “Be Our Best” while developing 465+ student-athletes into Razorbacks and Champions for Life. As members of the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Razorbacks consistently compete at the nation’s highest levels while proudly representing the University of Arkansas and the entire state. Arkansas has established itself as one of the most competitive programs in the nation, winning nine NCAA titles and over 50 SEC Championships in recent years.
About CommunityAmerica Credit Union
CommunityAmerica Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial institution committed to helping members get on a path to thrive and achieve financial peace of mind. Founded in 1940, and with Arkansas roots dating back to 1968, CommunityAmerica has grown to meet the evolving financial needs of its members. With nearly $10 billion in assets and more than 600,000 members, the credit union is ranked among the nation’s 50 largest credit unions. It is the largest credit union in Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri, and one of the largest financial institutions with expanding operations in Northwest Arkansas. CommunityAmerica offers a full suite of financial products and services for individuals and businesses, including checking and savings, mortgages, loans, commercial banking, wealth management, retirement planning, and insurance. Federally chartered, CommunityAmerica serves members across multiple markets nationwide with branch locations in Arkansas, California, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, Tennessee, and Texas. Learn more at CommunityAmerica.com.
About Learfield
Learfield is the leading media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
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