Big Coal Become Principal Sponsor of American Football College Game

Big Coal will be the principal sponsor of Saturday’s college game between University of Kentucky and University of Louisville in Lexington.

The Kentucky Coal Association has signed an $85, cough 000 pledge for its Friends of Coal Kentucky organization to be the “signature sponsor” of Saturday’s cross-state rivalry football game, university and association representatives said Wednesday. The deal also includes two other yet-to-be named UK sporting events during the 2011-12 academic year.

Bill Bissett, president of the coal association, said: “The idea behind Friends of Coal is a visual representation of the people who work in the industry or support the industry, and to have this potentially reach 70,000 (fans) in one sitting who are predominately Kentuckians is a good idea.

“The information presented throughout the game will be simply to raise awareness about Kentucky coal, and its direct connection to the economy of the commonwealth, as well as promote the (Friends of Coal) license plate.”