Cardinals’ Michael Bidwill named Fiesta Bowl Parade grand marshal
Sep 13, 2018, 9:10 AM | Updated: 12:35 pm
Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill joins The Doug & Wolf Show on 98.7 FM Arizona's Sports Station for an in-studio interview on Feb. 13, 2018. (Matt Layman/Arizona Sports)
(Matt Layman/Arizona Sports)
PHOENIX — Michael Bidwill, the president of the Arizona Cardinals, will be leading much more than his team this year.
Bidwill will serve as the grand marshal for the Fiesta Bowl Parade in December, it was announced Thursday.
“I am absolutely honored,” Bidwill told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “Only 47 people have been selected for this position before in our state’s history. … I am really touched by it.”
The Grand Marshal for the @Fiesta_Bowl Parade this upcoming year will be Michael Bidwill! https://t.co/6fIRqYImRY
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) September 13, 2018
“When you think about college football, the Fiesta Bowl is at the top of that list of celebrating the excellence of college football.”
As grand marshal, Bidwill will lead the parade along the 2-mile route in central Phoenix.
“The parade is a really important cornerstone of our community events throughout the year. … It’s a great event.”
Bidwill: Honored to be named Grand Marshall of the @Fiesta_Bowl Parade. And it’s a great opportunity for community @KTAR923 pic.twitter.com/aTQBejkEtB
— Kathy Cline (@ClineKathleen) September 13, 2018
The Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Parade is scheduled to roll through the city on Dec. 29. It will start on Central and Montebello avenues at 10 a.m.
Bidwill joins a long list of notable Arizona sports figures who have also led the parade in years past including, Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan, Arizona Diamondbacks ace Randy Johnson, Phoenix Suns forward Charles Barkley and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner.
“I got to call Shane Doan, he did this last year,” Bidwill told Bickley and Marotta on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station. He rode his horse, I might need to borrow his horse and ride that in the parade.”
Since it first kicked off in 1971, the Fiesta Bowl Parade has become an Arizona tradition, attracting more than 2,500 people each year.
The event showcases a pageantry of brilliantly colored floats, giant balloons, equestrian units, charitable groups, local celebrities and marching bands.
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The Fiesta Bowl committee extended its agreement with the College Football Playoff in July for six years.
As part of the agreement, the Fiesta Bowl will host the national semifinals in the 2022-23 and 2025-26 seasons.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Kathy Cline contributed to this report.
