11/06/19 – UK Healthcare Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Becomes Title Sponsor of KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl

November 6, 2019 2019-2020 News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 6, 2019

UK Healthcare Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has expanded its corporate partnership with the Kentucky High School Athletic Association with a four-year agreement to become the title sponsor of the Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl State Football Championships. UK Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, which has been a long-time partner of the Association, provides top of the line sports medicine and athletic training services at all KHSAA Championship events in the Lexington area. UK Healthcare and UK Ortho’s increased corporate support elevates it to Platinum Level partner status with the Association, on par with Whitaker Bank and Spalding, the two existing Platinum Level partners. The arrangement also includes naming rights for the 2019 UK Orthopaedics/KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl through the 2022 championships.

“UK Orthopaedics is honored to provide athletic training and medical care at high school sports championships across the state through our long-standing relationship with the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. That’s why we’re proud to expand our partnership by becoming the title sponsor of the Gridiron Bowl,” said Darren Johnson, MD, Director & Chief of UK Sports Medicine. “As the official healthcare provider of the KHSAA, we are excited to take on a larger and more visible role during the high school football championships. But, most importantly, we want to help high school athletes grow and succeed without injury, and we’re always here to help get them back in the game even stronger if they need us.”

“When the state football finals relocated to Kroger Field, our office made it known to the Lexington community that a local business would need to step up and make this a viable move and UK Healthcare has certainly done that,” said KHSAA Commissioner Julian Tackett. “We are thrilled that they have expanded their corporate partnership with our office, which already included outstanding medical coverage at state events and promotion of their great health care resources, to include title sponsorship of the Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl.”

In addition to adding naming rights for the Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl, UK Healthcare Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine will increase its Comeback Awards program to highlight two winners, which will be presented at the Sweet Sixteen® State Basketball Tournaments at Rupp Arena. Beginning in 2020, UKHC will honor one “Male Overcomer Award” recipient at the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16® and one “Female Overcomer Award” recipient at the KHSAA Girls’ Sweet Sixteen®.

The 2019 UK Orthopaedics/KHSAA Commonwealth Gridiron Bowl will be played Dec. 6-8 at Kroger Field. Ticket information will be posted at KHSAA.org when they go on sale to the public.

– KHSAA –

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association
The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 280 member schools both public and non-public. The KHSAA awards 215 state championships to 51 teams and 164 individuals in 13 sports and 6 sport-activities, funds catastrophic insurance coverage for its more than 106,000 rostered member school student-athletes, provides coaching education and sports safety programs for more than 12,000 coaches, and licenses and facilitates the distribution of training material for over 4,000 contest officials.