BOWL SEASON

Ellie Ziegler was a distinguished Fiesta Bowl Life Director, community leader and philanthropist whose dedicated service and leadership significantly shaped the Fiesta Bowl’s legacy. As Board Chair during the historic 2006-07 season, she led the Fiesta Bowl Organization through a remarkable stretch in which it hosted three postseason bowl games in only 11 days.

A graduate of Arizona State University, Ziegler moved to the Phoenix area in the 1970s. Over more than two decades of volunteer work with the Fiesta Bowl, she assumed ever-growing responsibility and influence, championing the Bowl’s traditions, operations and community relationships. 

The Ellie & Michael Ziegler Fiesta Bowl Museum serves as a lasting tribute to Ellie and her husband Michael’s shared passion for college football and philanthropy. In recognition of her leadership and the impact of her service, the Fiesta Sports Foundation renamed its annual Chair of the Year award in her honor.

Beyond the Bowl itself, Ziegler’s philanthropic reach extended deeply into arts, education, youth programs, healthcare and civic leadership. She was instrumental in establishing ASU’s Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, and she was an outspoken supporter of nonprofit organizations including the Boys & Girls Clubs, cultural institutions and educational foundations. 

Although Ellie Ziegler passed away in December 2021, her impact on the Fiesta Bowl and the wider Arizona community lives on.