Bitcoin
$64,381.16+1.40%
Ethereum
$3,098.33+1.04%
Binance Coin
$560.24+1.63%
Solana
$144.63+3.18%
XRP
$0.50624344+0.73%
Dogecoin
$0.15417674+0.49%
Toncoin
$6.15-6.42%
Cardano
$0.47210229+3.42%
Shiba Inu
$0.00002285-0.32%
Avalanche
$35.25+0.56%
Wrapped Bitcoin
$64,518.06+1.49%
Tron
$0.11059323+1.03%
PlayIconNav
Crypto Prices CoinDesk 20 Index CoinDesk 20 Index
Consensus 2024Price Increase Extension Ends In
00
DAYS
22
HR
16
MIN
54
SEC
Markets

BitPay Reveals it Paid ESPN Bitcoin for Bowl Game Sponsorship

BitPay co-founder Tony Gallippi revealed today that his company paid ESPN in bitcoin for its bowl game sponsorship.

By Pete Rizzo
AccessTimeIconAug 22, 2014 at 10:25 p.m. UTC
Updated Sep 11, 2021 at 11:05 a.m. UTC
ESPN
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now
bowl bitpay
bowl bitpay

BitPay executive chairman Tony Gallippi announced today that his company paid for its upcoming college football bowl game sponsorship in bitcoin.

The surprise news came at a press conference held by BitPay and the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce to promote the upcoming Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl.

There, Gallippi revealed that BitPay paid ESPN Events, a subsidiary of the popular US sports network ESPN, in bitcoin in order to secure the sponsorship, a company spokesperson confirmed with CoinDesk. Notably, Tampa Bay Business Journal has estimated that its full contract with the broadcaster is estimated at roughly $1.5m over the course of three years.

The event was held at the St. Petersburg Museum, which has announced that it will accept bitcoin as part of BitPay's wider promotion for December's main event, joining a list of merchants that includes Ferg's Sports Bar and Grill, Green Bench Brewery Co and Hotel Zamora.

In addition to Gallippi, BitPay CEO Stephen Pair and BitPay executive director of the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl Brett Dulaney were also in attendance.

The Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl will be held on 26th December.

About the bowl

The news is the latest update on BitPay and its work to promote bitcoin through the major televised sporting event. Announced on 18th June, the promotion was widely covered by the mainstream media, including The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated and the editorial arm of ESPN.

BitPay further highlighted its plans for the game at The North American Bitcoin Conference (TNABC) in July, appearing at the event with an ESPN representative.

The postseason sporting event takes place at the end of the NCAA college football regular season. In lieu of a traditional bracket-style playoff, teams are paired based on their performance in the regular season, before facing off in matches in individual bowl games.

In total, 39 bowl games will be held at the end of this year.

Disclaimer: CoinDesk founder Shakil Khan is an investor in BitPay.

Image credit: Gil C / Shutterstock.com

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.