One of the most polarizing figures of 2013 had to be the patriarch of AMC’s hit show “Duck Dynasty”, Phil Robertson. Caught in the trap of many a public figure, Robertson expressed some questionable views in an interview that nearly toppled the DD brand from its current lofty perch. With the help and support of his family, as well as his millions of fans, Robertson was able to put that incident behind him and is now firmly focused on the future. And in the early going of 2014, that future is in sports sponsorship.
Starting in January of 2015, the Independence Bowl will be known as the Duck Commander Independence Bowl after the famous duck call brand recently inked a six year deal worth approximately $800,000 to get the naming rights.
The bowl, held in Shreveport, LA, holds special meaning to Robertson who was a quarterback at Louisiana Tech. During his college playing days, Robertson spent two years as a starter and started ahead of Pittsburgh Steelers great Terry Bradshaw. Bradshaw recovered well from his stint behind Robertson though, winning four Super Bowls and being elected into the pro football Hall of Fame.
Duck Commander will also be sponsoring a NASCAR race, though the particulars of that deal are not known at this time.
The initial news of the new Independence Bowl sponsorship was broke by ESPN, as tweeted by Brett McMurphyon Sunday. A news conference is scheduled for Wednesday to officially announce the new sponsorship, as first reported by Yahoo Sports.
As of January, CNN Money puts the net worth of “Duck Dynasty” at an estimated $500 million, so they have all the extra cash they need to toss out at a sponsorship or two. They can also apparently afford the occasional public faux pas, though I recommend that any future Robertson interviews be closely vetted, just to be on the safe side.
James LeBeau is an avid fantasy sports participant and a sports contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on twitter @LoboISbroke or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
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