Outback sears name to football bowl game

TAMPA — Outback Steakhouse renewed its sponsorship of the Outback Bowl through 2020, making the restaurant chain's 25-year sponsorship the longest bowl game sponsorship in history.

The New Year's Day bowl game attracts tens of thousands of out-of-town football fans to Tampa. The last Outback Bowl attracted fans from 45 states and was televised in 144 countries. The company did not disclose how much it paid for the sponsorship in the news release announcing its renewal.

“It was an easy decision to continue to support two things we are very passionate about — Tampa Bay and great college football,” Outback Steakhouse President Jeff Smith says in a news release.