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Citi is out as presenting sponsor of the Rose Bowl after seven years.  Citi becomes the second BCS bowl game sponsor to give up its sponsorship following ESPN's takeover of the selling of all marketing and advertising inventory around the game as a part of its newfour year $495 million deal to carry all of the BCS games made earlier this year. Citi follows the Orange Bowl's long time sponsor FedEx in walking away from the BCS games.

Supposedly the restrictions placed by ESPN over when and where the sponsors were to spend their money was at the heart of both companies departure from the scene.  Negotiations with with Allstate for renewal of its Sugar Bowl sponsorship are said to be going well, while ESPN remains in discussion with Tostitos on its sponsorship of the Fiesta Bowl.

This, of course, comes on the heels of the Great Realignment which may have made potential sponsors a bit gun shy. I know I would want to wait and see the dust settle before I commited the dollars ESPN is asking, especially since ESPN is demanding a season long commitment for any bowl sponsor.  You may know what you're getting today with the SEC and to some extent with the Big Ten but you honestly say you know what the other four BCS automatic qualifying conferences are going to look like a year from now?