Official 3-on-3 Tour of the NBA and NBC Sports Provides Unique Marketing
Platform for Organizations
ATLANTA, April 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Bull Run Corporation (Nasdaq: BULL)
subsidiary, Universal Sports America, Inc. (dba "Streetball Partners
International"), has secured AT&T, Ford Focus and the U.S. Army as national
sponsors of the 2000 Hoop-It-Up(R) Tour, the official 3-on-3 basketball tour
of the NBA and NBC Sports. Hoop-It-Up, which travels to 41 U.S. cities
hosting nearly 140,000 players this year, is the flagship property of
Streetball Partners International, the Dallas-based grassroots sports marketer
founded in 1989.
For AT&T, the Hoop-It-Up sponsorship is a synergistic extension of its NBA
sponsorship for the current season. The NBA and NBC Sports have partnered
with the Hoop-It-Up tour since 1992 and 1991, respectively, and Gatorade, Foot
Locker and Spalding also are long-time Hoop-It-Up national sponsors, joining
the tour in 1993, 1992 and 1992, respectively. As national sponsors, AT&T,
Ford Focus and U.S. Army not only will receive exposure in the annual, one-
hour "Hoop-It-Up on NBC" special, but gain high visibility through inclusion
in all pre-event marketing materials and distinct on-site event privileges.
AT&T, with category exclusivity in long distance, local and wireless
service, promotes its 1 800 CALL ATT for Collect Calls and AT&T "00" INFO(SM)
services via the Hoop-It-Up sponsorship and hosts two basketball-themed
special events in each city. Ford Focus, the official automobile of the Hoop-
It-Up tour, capitalizes on its sponsorship by hosting a "Learn & Drive" event
in 15 select cities, in addition to hosting the "Ford Focus 3-Point Shootout"
in all tour cities. Also sharing similar demographics of teens to 25-year-
olds, the U.S. Army ties into Hoop-It-Up as a recruiting and awareness vehicle
for its prime target audience. In all cities, the U.S. Army is hosting a
special activity for players and spectators called "The Ultimate Rock Climbing
Experience" and will bring to selected cities its Adventure Van.
"Streetball Partners excels in developing unique marketing platforms for
amateur sports participants that also transpire into phenomenal branding
opportunities for companies and organizations," said Robert S. Prather, Jr.,
President and CEO of Bull Run. "Hoop-It-Up is just one of the ventures
produced by our Streetball subsidiary in which companies can get their
products and services directly into the hands of their core audiences in a
one-of-a-kind setting."
The 2000 Hoop-It-Up tour season started in March and will run through
October, and Streetball's Toyota Golf Skills Challenge event begins this
Thursday, in Phoenix. Other similar programs produced by Streetball Partners
International include "NHL Breakout", "MLB Yard Ball" and "Let-It-Fly".
Streetball Partners operates jointly with another Bull Run subsidiary, Host
Communications, Inc., a Lexington, Ky.-based sports, events and lifestyle
marketing company which handles marketing activities for the NCAA and numerous
colleges and conferences.
Contacts: Robert S. Prather, Jr., President & CEO of Bull Run Corporation,
at (404) 266-8333, or
W. James Host, President & CEO of Host Communications, Inc. at
(606) 226-4202.
SOURCE Bull Run Corporation
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Company News On-Call:
http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/232438.html or fax,
800-758-5804, ext. 232438
CONTACT:
Robert S. Prather, Jr., President & CEO of
Bull Run Corporation, 404-266-8333, or W. James Host, President &
CEO of Host Communications, Inc., 606-226-4202.
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