ATLANTA, Feb. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Host Communications, Inc.
(HOST), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bull Run Corporation (Nasdaq: BULL), has
reached an agreement with The Minute Maid Company to be the newest member of
the NCAA Corporate Partner Program. The Minute Maid Company is an operating
unit of The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) and the flagship of its worldwide
fruit beverage business.
As a member of the NCAA Corporate Partner Program, The Minute Maid Company
receives exclusivity in the juice/juice drink category, receiving marketing
and promotional rights to all 87 NCAA Men's and Women's championships in 22
sports, including the celebrated NCAA Women's and Men's Final Four(TM). The
Company's sponsorship includes the opportunity to use NCAA Championship
tickets for marketing purposes and promotions, and permission to use the NCAA
and NCAA Championship marks and names. It also includes access to various
NCAA member associations, including grassroots NCAA events and clinics.
"We are delighted with the opportunity to partner with the NCAA as a
vehicle for connecting our Minute Maid(R) brand with consumers," says Laura
Lopez, managing director, bottler juice brands for The Minute Maid Company.
"Everybody loves the refreshing goodness of Minute Maid Lemonades and Fruit
Punch. They're an ideal fit for a collegiate sports promotion."
The 2002 NCAA Men's Final Four(TM) and 2002 NCAA Women's Final Four(R)
will be held in Atlanta and San Antonio respectively, where Minute Maid will
have an extensive presence through on-site and local-market retail promotions.
HOST has had a contractual relationship with the National Collegiate
Athletic Association (NCAA) since 1975 and developed the NCAA's Corporate
Partner Program in 1984. Under the Program, select corporations link their
target markets to, and implement promotions around, NCAA Championships through
a variety of advertising and promotional opportunities. HOST's initial
agreement in 1975 to administer radio rights and form a national NCAA Radio
Network for the men's Final Four has since expanded to publishing, Internet
and corporate marketing representation, including the exclusive licensing of
various NCAA trademarks.
"We are very pleased to add The Minute Maid Company as an NCAA Corporate
Partner," commented Robert S. Prather, Jr., Bull Run's President and CEO. "It
is very satisfying to see that they recognize the unique marketing
opportunities that this Program has to offer. NCAA championships provide the
Minute Maid(R) brand a targeted audience for its promotions unlike any other."
Bull Run, through HOST, provides affinity, multimedia, promotional and
event management services support to universities, athletic conferences,
associations and corporations. Bull Run also has significant investments in
Gray Communications Systems, Inc., an owner and operator of 13 television
stations and four newspapers; Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc., a leading
supplier of team sports equipment in North America; and iHigh Inc., a
marketing company focused on high school students.
SOURCE Bull Run Corporation
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Related links:
http://www.bullruncorp.com
Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/gh/cnoc/comp/232438.html
CONTACT:
Robert S. Prather, Jr., President & CEO of
Bull Run Corporation, +1-404-266-8333, or W. James Host, CEO of
Host Communications, Inc., +1-859-226-4202
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