Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King Bring Tennis Charity Event to 'The Sweetest Place on Earth' - Hershey, Pa.

Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King Bring Tennis Charity Event to 'The Sweetest Place on Earth' - Hershey, Pa.

Advanta WTT Smash Hits Presented by The Hershey Company Set for Nov. 7 at GIANT Center

NEW YORK, June 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Professional tennis makes its GIANT Center debut in Hershey when pop icons Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King bring the 13th annual Advanta WTT Smash Hits presented by The Hershey Company, to town on Monday, November 7, event organizers announced today.

The event, a special night of tennis action featuring some of the top players on the men's and women's professional tours, is hosted by long-time friends John and King and will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the National AIDS Fund. Additionally a portion of the event's proceeds will benefit The Greater Harrisburg AIDS Fund.

"Over the years we have been very fortunate to bring our special brand of tennis and this wonderful event to some great cities across the country," said Ilana Kloss, CEO/Commissioner of World TeamTennis. "With the help of The Hershey Company we will be the first tennis event in the GIANT Center and we are looking forward to showcasing some of the best tennis players in the world and helping raise the awareness of the fight against HIV and AIDS in central Pennsylvania."

Tickets for Advanta WTT Smash Hits will go on sale later this summer and announcements of players competing in the event will begin in July. Players who have played the event in past years include Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick, Anna Kournikova, Lindsay Davenport, Martina Navratilova and Jimmy Connors.

"We are thrilled to partner with Elton John, Billie Jean King and World TeamTennis to bring Smash Hits to Hershey, and more importantly, to support the fight against HIV and AIDS in Pennsylvania," said John C. Long, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, The Hershey Company.

Five sets of tennis, using the World TeamTennis (WTT) format, will be played. Several top players on the men's and women's professional tennis tours will compete in men's singles, men's doubles, women's singles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. The players will form two teams, with one team captained by Sir Elton John and the other by Billie Jean King. John and King also plan to participate in a celebrity doubles event to open the evening.

In addition to the night of tennis, a special VIP event and auction will be held prior to the start of the tennis action. Now in its 13th year, Advanta WTT Smash Hits has raised more than $7 million to help in the fight against HIV and AIDS around the globe.

Established in 1992, the Elton John AIDS Foundation is an international non-profit organization funding prevention education and direct patient care services for men, women and children living with or at risk of HIV/AIDS. From 1992-2004, the Foundation has funded more than 2,417 grants in North America. To date, the Elton John AIDS Foundation has distributed over $50 million to fund HIV/AIDS programs around the world. Since its inception, Smash Hits has raised more than $5 million for the Foundation.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) is a leading snack food company and the largest North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery products. With revenues of over $4 billion and more than 13,000 employees worldwide, The Hershey Company markets such well-known brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Kit Kat, Almond Joy, Mounds, Jolly Rancher, Twizzlers, Ice Breakers, and Mauna Loa, as well as innovative new products such as Swoops and Hershey's S'mores. In addition to its traditional confectionery products, Hershey offers a range of products specifically developed to address the nutritional interests of today's health-conscious consumer. These products include sugar-free Hershey's, Reese's and York candies, as well as Hershey's SmartZone bars for people seeking balanced nutrition. It also markets Hershey's cocoa, Hershey's syrup and other branded baking ingredients, toppings and beverages. Visit us at http://www.hersheynewsroom.com/.

For additional information, please visit the Elton John AIDS Foundation at http://www.ejaf.org/ and World TeamTennis at http://www.wtt.com/.

Source: The Hershey Company

CONTACT: Rosie Crews, GEM Group, +1-817-684-0366, rcrews@gemgroup.com,
or Troy Ergenbright, GEM Group, +1-303-234-5744, tergenbright@gemgroup.com,
both for World TeamTennis, or Stephanie Moritz, The Hershey Company,
+1-717-534-7641, smoritz@hersheys.com

Web site: http://www.ejaf.org/

Web site: http://www.wtt.com/

Web site: http://www.hersheynewsroom.com/

-------
Profile: intent