COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – For the second consecutive year, Sports Authority will retain its entitlement of the Mountain West Football Championship Game to be played on Dec. 5, 2015 as announced today by the Mountain West Conference and its rights partner, Learfield Sports.

Sports Authority had the distinct opportunity in 2014 of becoming the game’s inaugural title sponsor in a contest that featured Boise State and Fresno State, with the Broncos winning 28-14. In year two, Sports Authority will receive numerous opportunities for brand visibility including promotions of the game on various ESPN networks and a season-long digital campaign on the Mountain West Network. Additionally, the brand will gain exposure through radio and television commercials, in-venue and television-visible signage, field logos and logo positioning on helmet decals, first-down markers and merchandise. The 2015 game will air on ESPN2 at 5:30 p.m. MT/4:30 p.m. PT.MWC FB Champ-red 2015

“We are delighted to have Sports Authority return as title sponsor for our football championship, where we’ll see two outstanding programs go head-to-head in what will be a terrific game for fans,” said Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson. “Sports Authority is a well-respected brand with a loyal following, and we are extremely grateful for their continued support and engagement.”

“Sports Authority is excited to continue the relationship as the title sponsor of the Mountain West Conference Football Championship Game,” said Sports Authority’s Chief Marketing Officer Ron Stoupa. “The conference’s commitment to both athletic and educational excellence make the sponsorship a perfect fit for us.”

As multimedia rights and sponsorship sales partner for the MW, Learfield Sports secured Englewood, Colorado-based Sports Authority for the championship game in subsequent years. In addition to representing the Conference, Learfield is aligned with the league through individual rights agreements with nine of its 12 member institutions–Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, New Mexico, San Diego State, San José State University, Utah State and Wyoming.

“With its Colorado roots, and regional and national visibility, Sports Authority is the right choice to leverage its brand name and quality appeal with sports fans through this national platform,” said Bill Hirsh, Learfield Sports’ vice president, national sales. “It’s a natural connection, and we’re pleased to bring Sports Authority back to provide them even bigger exposure than last year among a passionate college football fan base.”

About Learfield
Learfield Sports manages the multimedia rights and sponsorships for more than 100 collegiate institutions and associations nationwide. The company also titles the prestigious Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup and represents collegiate institutions, conferences and arenas for their respective multimedia rights and sponsorship initiatives. Learfield offers these partners with professional concessions and ticket sales, licensing and trademark consulting, digital platform expertise and venue and technology systems through its owned companies. To learn more about its history, businesses and job opportunities, visit www.learfieldsports.com.

About the Mountain West
From its inception in 1999, the Mountain West has been committed to excellence in intercollegiate athletics, while promoting the academic missions of its member institutions. Progressive in its approach, the Mountain West continues to cultivate opportunities for student-athletes to compete at the highest level, while fostering academic achievement and sportsmanship. Now in its 16th year, the MW has been assertive in its involvement with the NCAA governance structure and has taken a leadership role in the overall administration of intercollegiate athletics. The Mountain West membership is comprised of 11 all-sport members: the United States Air Force Academy, Boise State University, Colorado State University, Fresno State, University of Nevada, University of New Mexico, San Diego State University, San José State University, UNLV, Utah State University and University of Wyoming. In addition, the University of Hawai‘i and Colorado College participate in the Mountain West as single-sport members in football and women’s soccer, respectively.

About Sports Authority
Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, Sports Authority is one of the largest full-line sporting goods retailers, with 474 locations across 43 states and Puerto Rico. Sports Authority offers a broad range of sporting goods from leading brands and is the active family’s destination for footwear, apparel, fitness, team sports and outdoor recreation. The League by Sports Authority, a free and easy rewards program, offers members 5% back after they earn 100 points or more during a quarterly period. For a list of store locations and information, or to shop online, visit www.sportsauthority.com. Sports Authority also owns and operates nine S.A. Elite by Sports Authority locations that offer a premiere assortment of high-end performance apparel, footwear and accessories. Visit www.saelite.com for more information. Follow Sports Authority on Facebook at https://facebook.com/SportsAuthority and Twitter at https://twitter.com/SportsAuthority.