Infiniti Extends Its Reach Into College Basketball With ESPN and CBS

Infiniti Extends Its Reach Into College Basketball With ESPN and CBS

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Last October, Infiniti announced its official sponsorship of Big Ten and SEC college basketball for the 2008-09 season. For the first time, the luxury automaker will be the exclusive automotive sponsor of both conferences.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080506/INFINITIBADGELOGO )

In addition to the conference sponsorships, Infiniti is working with ESPN and CBS to further enhance and reinforce its support of college basketball. The customized, multimedia campaign includes telecast, digital, event and sweepstakes components. Benefits also include promotional and online opportunities, special event and on-site marketing, tickets and hospitality and use of SEC and Big Ten marks and logos.

ESPN airs hundreds of college basketball games throughout the season. The alignment with the network acts as a platform to increase Infiniti perception and awareness. Through March 7, Infiniti's Pre-Game Showcase on ESPN, a custom video preview of that evening's marquee match up, will tip off the weekly primetime game to build excitement immediately before game time.

Infiniti advertising will also have prominent placement on ESPN.com on Saturdays, which will include Infiniti's Defining Moment pre-game and post- game videos. Additionally, ESPN and Infiniti created a unique online sweepstakes in which multiple fans can win a VIP trip to Bristol, Conn., for the ultimate behind-the-scenes ESPN College Basketball experience.

"We have worked very closely with Infiniti to come up with the ideal mix of media," said Ed Erhardt, president, ESPN Customer Marketing and Sales. "Their sponsorship of Big Ten and SEC college basketball melds very well with our schedule and we feel this multi-platform campaign will resonate with fans throughout the season."

Infiniti's extension into the NCAA tournament is tied together through the partnership with CBS. CBS broadcasts exclusive coverage of the NCAA tournament, when viewership is at its highest. CBS will allow Infiniti to efficiently run ads in the NCAA Tournament in Infiniti's Top 15 markets and in Indianapolis, the Big Ten Tournament location.

Infiniti will also air its NCAA Vignette Series, "My Defining Moments," hosted by Verne Lundquist, which will showcase former college basketball players offering a first-person narrative of their college athletic experiences and how that has translated into success in their professional careers. The vignettes will feature former SEC players, Coolidge Ball of Ole Miss and Scotty Thurman of the University of Arkansas and former Big Ten players, Kendall Gill of Illinois and Nick Anderson of Illinois. Infiniti will also sponsor CBS' March Madness on Demand Streaming video online throughout the NCAA Tournament.

"We are excited about our presence in College Basketball," said Ben Poore, vice president of Infiniti Business Unit. "College Basketball fans are passionate about their teams, just like our Infiniti owners are about their vehicles. It's a great fit and really allows us to reach out and speak directly to our target demographic consisting of passionate, well educated and affluent consumers."

About Infiniti

Infiniti offers a full-line of luxury performance automobiles that inspire at every turn, including the G sports coupe and sedan, the M sedan, EX and FX crossovers, and the QX full-size SUV. More information about Infiniti and its Total Ownership Experience(R) can be found at www.InfinitiUSA.com.

About ESPN

ESPN, Inc. is the world's leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of six domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPNU), ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS and ESPNU HD simulcast services, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (34 networks, syndication, radio, web sites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN PPV, ESPN Zones (sports-themed restaurants), and other growing new businesses including ESPN360.com (Broadband), ESPN Mobile Properties, ESPN on Demand and ESPN Interactive. Based in Bristol, Ct., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080506/INFINITIBADGELOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Infiniti

CONTACT: Josh Clifton, Infiniti, +1-615-725-1767,
joshua.clifton@infiniti.com, Amy Phillips, ESPN, amy.phillips@espn.com

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

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