Mortgage company in talks to sponsor Music City Bowl

The Music City Bowl has found itself a new sponsor, Franklin American Mortgage, part of a “planned transition” according to Scott Ramsey, the bowl's executive director.

The bowl is in talks with Franklin American to negotiate a contract for the new title, which the company would take once Gaylord Hotels removes its name after the 2009 game.

“We've continued to build the bowl game up to the point where it's an attractive property to be involved in,” Ramsey told The City Paper.

According to Ramsey, Gaylord will continue to be a major backer of the bowl even though the event will no longer bear its name as it has since 2002. In addition to supporters such as Gaylord and Franklin American, the bowl will also now benefit from the newly enacted Metro Event Marketing Fund, a project that uses the support of local businesses and organizations to fund major city events, one of which is the Music City Bowl.

While Gaylord has had its hands full in recent months with the economic situation and a board challenge from an investor, Ramsey said the company has planning to pass on the title to another local business for a while.

A call to Franklin American CEO Dan Crockett, whose company sponsored an LPGA tournament in Franklin from 2004 to 2006, was not immediately returned Friday afternoon.