Seventh Annual BBVA Compass Bowl Set for Saturday, Jan. 5

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., April 11, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ESPN Regional Television (ERT), a subsidiary of ESPN, announced the seventh annual BBVA Compass Bowl will be played Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.

The game will feature a team from the BIG EAST Conference against a team from the Southeastern Conference and will be televised nationally at 1 p.m. (ET)/Noon (CT) on ESPN.

"We look forward to hosting the SEC and the BIG EAST on the Saturday prior to the National Championship Game," said Mark Meadows, executive director of the BBVA Compass Bowl. "This is the sixth time our game has been played on a Saturday which offers visiting fans the opportunity to travel over the weekend and our local fans an opportunity to participate in all of the game day activities."

The BIG EAST has a 5-1 record in the BBVA Compass Bowl with their only loss in Birmingham coming in 2012 when SMU defeated Pittsburgh 28-6. SMU wide receiver Darius Johnson caught seven passes for 120 yards and one touchdown, while setting or tying three individual bowl records and earning the Fred Sington MVP Award.

The SEC adds new members Texas A&M and Missouri for 2012, bringing the total number of conference members to 14. Temple will become the eighth football playing member for BIG EAST in 2012, replacing West Virginia.

Since its inception in 2006, the game along with the bowl week activities, has generated over $58 million in economic impact according to figures provided by the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Tickets will go on sale Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at www.bbvacompassbowl.com. Ticket pricing for the 2013 game will be $50 for East and West reserved sideline seating and $30 for general admission corner seats. Corporate packages, which include prime ticket locations, hospitality benefits and corporate exposure, are available now by calling (205) 733-3776 ext.103.

For up-to-the-minute information, be sure to like the Bowl on Facebook.com/bbvacompassbowl and follow on Twitter at bbvacompassbowl.

ABOUT BBVA COMPASS
BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates more than 710 branches including 371 in Texas, 93 in Alabama, 65 in California, 78 in Arizona, 45 in Florida, 37 in Colorado and 21 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass ranks among the 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th), and Arizona (5th). BBVA Compass has been recognized as one of the nation's leading Small Business Administration (SBA) lenders, earning 'Lender of the Year' honors in 2009 and 2010. Additional information concerning BBVA Compass can be found on our website www.bbvacompass.com.

BBVA Compass is an indirect subsidiary of BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) (MAD: BBVA). BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, it is the largest financial institution in Mexico and it has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. Its diversified business is biased to high-growth markets and it relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. BBVA ranks among the leading Eurozone banks in terms of ROE and efficiency. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes.

ESPN Regional Television/Event Ownership
The nation's largest syndicator of collegiate sports programming, ESPN Regional Television (ERT) annually produces more than 1,200 sporting events. Content includes action from NCAA football, basketball and Olympic sports, NHRA and professional and amateur golf, accounting for more than 3,400 live and/or original hours of programming. ERT's owned and operated events reach over a million fans a year and provides more than 200 additional hours of programming.

In addition to event ownership, ERT is the production headquarters for ESPNU; syndication rights-holder and producer of national, regional and local shows for college conferences (SEC, BIG EAST, Big 12, Mid-American, WAC) and manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.

ESPN Regional Television markets and/or owns several sporting events:
Collegiate Football
BBVA Compass Bowl (Birmingham, Ala.); Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl St. Petersburg; Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth); MAACO Bowl Las Vegas; Gildan New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque); MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (Orlando, Fla.); Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas (Houston); Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl (Honolulu) and The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards
Collegiate Basketball
Anaheim Classic (Anaheim, Calif.); Charleston Classic presented by Foster Grant (S.C.); Diamond Head Classic (Honolulu); Jimmy V Classic (Madison Square Garden); Old Spice Classic (Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla.); Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan); Sears BracketBusters  and State Farm Champions Classic (Georgia Dome, Atlanta)
Collegiate Lacrosse
ESPNU Warrior Classic 
Additional Events
Hawaiian Islands Invitational (Soccer) and ESPN National Golf Challenge

For more information, visit ESPNPlus.com.

Editor's Note:
BBVA Compass is a trade name of Compass Bank. Compass Bank, member FDIC.

SOURCE BBVA Compass

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