Deal Canceled After Bowl Sponsor Found to Be Phony

ESPN Events had just announced a new title sponsor for the 2019 New Mexico Bowl earlier this month, but after just weeks as the DreamHouse New Mexico Bowl, the dream is reportedly over. 

The Albuquerque Journal reports that ESPN Events canceled the agreement just one day after a story in that paper revealed that DreamHouse Productions, which purports to be a film production company, had no business license within the city of Albuquerque. A DreamHouse Post Production LLC is registered with the Secretary of state’s office, and lists Eric Martinez as its agent, but the company does not appear to be up-and-running yet. 

Records indicate that the company’s address is a residence belonging to Martinez, the company’s CEO. An Oct. 1 press release announcing the partnership indicated that DreamHouse was occupying a 25,000-square-foot space as a post-production film studio. 

Martinez said in a recent television interview that the space was at the Aperture Center, located near a Netflix production hub. A security guard, when asked about DreamHouse, reportedly told the Journal that he didn’t know the firm, adding, “That’s a new one to me.”

Martinez is reportedly facing multiple judgments for unpaid debts, including more than $16,000 in credit card debt. 

“We notified DreamHouse today that we have terminated its title sponsorship agreement with the New Mexico Bowl,” an ESPN spokesperson told the Journal in an email. “We remain focused on ensuring a quality experience for fans.”

The New Mexico Bowl is one of 16 bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events. The next New Mexico Bowl will be played as planned on Dec. 21.