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Oct 25
2007 |
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Co-production between Intersport and NFL Films brings high school football rivalries to life
In a co-production with Intersport, NFL Films brings its hallmark cinematography
to the high school gridiron in Greatest High School Football Rivalries, a new series on the Versus network. This one-hour, documentary-style
series captures all the drama, heartbreak and glory of high
school football. Each of the six episodes follows
two rival schools, including some of the
nation's best programs, as they
prepare for a game they
will remember for
a lifetime.
October 25: Union vs Jenks
November 1: Rockford vs Muskegon
November 8: Massillon vs. Canton McKinley
November 15: Plano vs. Plano East
November 22: Pahokee vs. Glades Central
November 29: Fort Hill vs. Allegany |
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Oct 15
2007 |
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Intersport and Sprint announce launch of Sprint Exclusive Entertainment (SEE), the only network of original programming on mobile
Top Lineup of Hosts include former NFL Star Marshall Faulk, former MLB Manager Joe Girardi and former VH1 VJ Rachel Perry
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Oct. 15, 2007 - Sprint (NYSE: S) is the only U.S. wireless carrier to produce its own TV network, today launching SEE (Sprint Exclusive Entertainment). SEE delivers exclusive TV programs on Sprint video-enabled phones at no extra charge to customers with any Power Vision data plan. SEE can be accessed in three easy steps: by simply clicking on the phone’s media player from the main screen, scrolling to SEE on a channel menu similar to cable TV, and then selecting a program to watch.
SEE’s brief on-demand programs average approximately two minutes in length and focus on three major areas – sports, music and entertainment news. The programs are shot at various on-site locations and at a brand-new studio managed by production partner Intersport. SEE delivers more than 150 programs each week that are hosted by well-known personalities.
Sports
Providing expert analysis throughout the day before and after sporting events, hosts include:
- Marshall Faulk
Former NFL MVP running back, current NFL Network analyst
- Drew Rosenhaus
Popular sports agent
- Trev Alberts
Former ESPN Game Day anchor, College Football All-American
- Tom Waddle
Former NFL wide receiver, ESPN Radio host, NFL Network talent
- Joe Girardi
Three-time World Series Champion, FOX and YES Network broadcaster
- Jenn Sterger
Former SI.com commentator
- Hub Arkush
ProFootballWeekly.com managing editor
- Dave Revsine
Former ESPN Sports Center anchor, Big Ten Network broadcaster
- Dorsey Levens
Super Bowl Champion
In addition to general sports commentary, specific SEE sports programs focus on NASCAR, golf, fantasy sports and football, including the NFL Center program with highlights from every NFL game throughout the season. SEE will also provide full coverage from an on-site studio at events such as Super Bowl XLII and the men’s college basketball tournament.
Music
Hosted by former VH1 VJ Rachel Perry, SEE offers an ever-expanding variety of music content from across genres, including:
- Music news about artists, album releases and
upcoming tours
- A weekly "Top 10 Videos" segment
- Exclusive artist interviews
- Exclusive concerts
As news breaks, SEE music programs are released throughout the day. SEE delivers exclusive content from some of the hottest names in the music industry, including Hurricane Chris, Juanes, Rihanna, Soulja Boy, Sum 41, T.I. and T-Pain.
Entertainment News
SEE is the exclusive mobile provider of CelebTV.com, which delivers the latest celebrity and entertainment news from host Kelli Zink, who is also a frequent commentator on shows from FOX, CNN, MSNBC and others. CelebTV.com provides 10-12 updates everyday about everything in Hollywood.
SEE’s studio is equipped with state-of-art technology including satellites, fiber, lighting grids, multiple flat-screen LCDs, several editing suites, top-of-the-line studio cameras and high-powered graphics computers. SEE will continue to build its content offerings in the months ahead. For more information about SEE, including online examples of actual segments, visit www.sprint.com/see. For video of SEE highlights and a tour of the SEE studio, as well as downloadable high-res images of SEE on Sprint phones, visit www.sprint.com/seepresskit. To access SEE on Sprint phones, standard Vision charges apply.
About Sprint Video
Sprint has a strong history of providing wireless data services that are innovative and unique, and Sprint’s video offerings are a distinct example of this leadership. Sprint offers more than 70 video and audio channels of on-demand, linear and simulcast programming. Sprint has consistently led mobile video since becoming the first carrier in the United States to launch any type of multimedia experience on mobile phones in 2003, beginning with 1KTV’s video slides and audio. Additionally, Sprint was the first U.S. mobile carrier to:
- Receive an Emmy® Award (Outstanding Achievement in Engineering Development from The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences)
- Offer live television programming on mobile phones (MobiTV)
- Produce its own network of exclusive sports, music and entertainment news programs (Sprint Exclusive Entertainment)
- Broadcast a live concert directly on mobile phones (Bon Jovi)
- Offer full-length on-demand movies on mobile phones (Sprint Movies)
- Deliver a continuous streaming audio and video product up to 15 frames per second
- Offer a Spanish-language live TV service (Sprint TV En Vivo)
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Sep 24
2007 |
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Intersport awarded Cadillac's Super Bowl activation for second year in a row
After a successful partnership at Super Bowl XLI, Intersport has secured for the second year Cadillac’s Super Bowl sponsor activation business and will be on site at Super Bowl XLII in Phoenix, AZ. With the brand’s high profile position as the official vehicle of Super Bowl XLII and presenting sponsor of the Super Bowl XLI MVP, Cadillac once again turned to Intersport to bring its sponsorship to life and to manage all on-site marketing efforts around its Super Bowl XLI sponsorship. Intersport will strategically plan and implement all activation, including presence marketing at the University of Phoenix Stadium, the NFL Experience, Super Bowl XLII-related golf events, high profile parties such as the Maxim and ESPN events, and other grassroots efforts throughout South Central Arizona.
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Sep 2
2007 |
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Intersport scores with Burger King Kirk Herbstreit
Ohio vs. USA Challenge
Labor Day Weekend in Ohio was football heaven for over 60,000 fans as 11 of the nation’s top high school football powerhouses battled it out under the hot sun in what longtime national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming has called “by far, the best high school event ever staged.” The games were broadcast on the NFL and ESPN Networks. The weekend’s most notable game was Cincinnati Elder’s epic upset of Charlotte Independence (NC) and its 109 game winning streak, the second longest in high school football history. The scores are listed below. For 2008 ticket information and continuous updates about next year’s event and participating schools, visit the official Burger King Kirk Herbstreit Ohio vs. USA Challenge Web site at www.ohiovsusa.com.
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MAY 10
2007 |
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Intersport makes Event Marketer's "It List" of the
Top 100 event agencies
From Event Marketer, May 2007:
We say: Sports, sports, sports, sports and more sports.
Skilled in the art of negotiation and smart as a whip when it comes to activation.
Fact most people don’t know? Intersport is one of only a few shops that produces content for every major sports network on behalf of clients, allowing for a seamless link between brand, property and activation.
Best recent hookups? Liberty Mutual and football, Cadillac and golf, Mercedes and soccer.
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APR 25
2007 |
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CelebTV.com tops 60 million views mark
An entertainment news revolution has begun. CelebTV.com, the first-ever real-time entertainment video news created for and distributed exclusively on digital platforms, has officially launched.
CelebTV.com combines television-quality production with the power and immediacy of digital media, allowing consumers to digest entertainment news whenever and wherever they need it. Entertainment updates featuring the day’s headlines and hottest celebrity news are delivered throughout the day on CelebTV.com and distributed on a dedicated YouTube Director’s Channel, the iTunes Store through a video podcast and on The Fan at Comcast.net. Additional distribution partners will be announced in the coming weeks.
“CelebTV.com is designed for today’s multimedia consumer with limited time to watch long form video,” said Dana Golden, General Manager of CelebTV.com. “We provide first class entertainment reports on demand in short, easy-to-consume formats. In addition to broadband syndication, we are expanding to include mobile phones, home media centers, and other wireless devices. This model delivers a unique value proposition to our advertisers by providing a multi-platform campaign that includes the creation of branded content using celebrity themes in a fun, entertaining way.”
During a soft launch in February, CelebTV.com videos have had over 16 million views on CelebTV.com and through its distribution partners – and now videos on the site have been viewed over 60 million times. Beginning on February 1, CelebTV.com has broken several entertainment news stories and achieved citations by major entertainment news sources around the world.
GEICO, the fastest-growing major auto insurer in the United States, has joined CelebTV.com as a charter sponsor. GEICO activated its sponsorship at the 79th Annual Academy Awards as CelebTV.com correspondent, The Caveman, garnered national attention on the red carpet. Covering red carpet action and the hottest Oscar parties, The Caveman is featured in original segments on CelebTV.com and through distribution partners.
Hosted by Survivor: Guatemala winner Danni Boatwright, CelebTV.com has bureaus in Los Angeles and Chicago. CelebTV.com is led by Chris Myers, who holds nearly 20 years of experience in news and entertainment programming. Myers, CelebTV.com Vice President of Entertainment, spent time as Coordinating Producer at Entertainment Tonight and The Insider, Assistant News Director at KNBC-TV in Los Angeles and Executive Producer at WMAQ-TV in Chicago. The CelebTV.com production team is a collection of skilled professionals with experience at Inside Edition, The Oprah Winfrey Show, the NFL Network and other top media operations. |
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MAR 28
2007 |
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Intersport teams up with Dick Vitale
The face, voice and energy of college basketball comes to ABC on Final Four Saturday in a new one-hour special. College basketball's top analyst and ambassador Dick Vitale will bring his thorough knowledge and passion for the game to the Goodyear Presents Dick Vitale’s All-American Special, airing on ABC on Saturday, March 31 at 1:30 p.m. ET.
In Goodyear Presents Dick Vitale’s All-American Special, Vitale will unveil his 2007 All-American Team and name the top three “Diaper Dandies” (outstanding freshman), coaches and games of the year. One of the most experienced and knowledgeable minds in college basketball, there is no one in the sports world more capable of naming the best of the 2007 season than Dick Vitale. After touting scores of players throughout the season, Vitale finally announces his official All-American list during the Goodyear Presents Dick Vitale’s All-American Special.
The Intersport-produced special takes fans behind the scenes with one of Dick Vitale’s All-Americans and inside the colorful life of Vitale, shadowing college basketball’s most unique personality in the hours leading up to a classic Maryland-Duke contest this season.
Vitale’s college basketball knowledge and enthusiasm are unparalleled. Widely known as “Mr. College Basketball,” Vitale called ESPN’s first-ever college basketball game in 1979 and has since broadcasted more than 1,000 games.
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MAR 12
2007 |
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Intersport delivers Tournament Center and Insider's Bracket
via Sprint Power View
College basketball fans can now access original college basketball programming anytime and anywhere they want during the NCAA Tournament.
Intersport and Sprint have partnered again this year to deliver exclusive, made-for-mobile college basketball programming to Sprint Power View customers. For the first time, Sprint Power View Insider’s Bracket and Sprint Power View Tournament Center are also available to Facebook members.
Chris Rose, host of FOX Sports’ BCS coverage, serves as the host of Sprint Power View Tournament Center - the cornerstone of Sprint's exclusive college basketball content. Rose will join current and former college basketball coaches and players to provide in-depth tournament analysis, including on-demand game previews and postgame reports, breaking news and injury updates. More than 250 unique videos will be available on the Sprint Power View Network over the course of the tournament, from the opening round through the national title game on Monday, April 2, in Atlanta.
The Sprint Power View Insider’s Bracket is a collection of Sprint-exclusive videos featuring top college basketball coaches providing insightful analysis on the first-round of the NCAA Tournament. Available on March 12, the day after the brackets are announced, Sprint Power View Insider’s Bracket will deliver concise, insightful previews of all 32 games to fans as they fill out their brackets.
Sprint Power View Tournament Center and Sprint Power View Insider’s Bracket will also be available to Facebook members. The Facebook College Basketball Bracket Challenge, which recorded 5.2 million unique visitors in 2006, will be enhanced by Sprint Power View videos and available to 17 million Facebook members.
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FEB 15
2007

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Intersport wins court battle against NCAA over
use of "March Madness"
Following a nearly year-long legal battle with the National Collegiate Athletic Association ("NCAA"), Intersport Inc. has won a declaratory judgment confirming its right to use the "March Madness" trademark.
Intersport filed suit in March 2006 against the NCAA in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, seeking a declaration of Intersport's rights. The Court has entered judgment declaring that Intersport "has the exclusive right … to use the March Madness Trademark … in connection with entertainment services, namely the presentation of athletic and entertainment personalities in a panel forum …"
Dating back to the 1980s, Intersport has produced March Madness-branded television programming featuring high-profile college basketball personalities, coaches, and players analyzing college basketball tournament action. The programming has aired, among other places, on ESPN and FOX Sports Net. Intersport secured a federal trademark registration for the “March Madness” mark in 1989.
The Court also declared that Intersport may distribute the video of its March Madness content "to the public in any manner," including through "video-enabled mobile wireless media devices."
In the months before it was forced to file suit in March 2006, Intersport created and produced a college basketball programming platform for distribution on a wireless network, which would make the content available for viewing on cell phones and provide a variety of video-based programming including a real time news and analysis operation focusing on the college basketball world in March.
As part of this multi-program platform, Intersport intended to distribute its March Madness programming on a wireless cell phone network. After learning of Intersport’s plans, the NCAA demanded that Intersport immediately cease and desist from distributing its March Madness programming on cell phones. In response to the NCAA's threats against Intersport and its wireless partners, Intersport filed suit seeking a declaratory judgment to affirm its rights in relation to the term "March Madness."
"We moved proactively in light of the NCAA's threats to have a legal determination that our intended use of our intellectual property was proper and within our exclusive rights," said
Intersport founder, President & CEO Charles N. Besser. "The Court made it crystal clear that we have been acting properly and that we have full rights in the digital space and beyond as it relates to our March Madness content. We will aggressively seek to protect and utilize our exclusive rights against the NCAA or any unauthorized user."
"We carefully considered our position before proceeding and we would have preferred to avoid undertaking the expense and spectacle involved in litigation. However, the NCAA's aggressive stance left us no choice but to stand up for ourselves and our partners against a well-funded organization with overwhelming financial motivation to attempt to limit our rights. Now, we are thankful for the clarity generated by the Court and will proceed with great confidence." |
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FEB 7
2007
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Jenn-X Road Show launches on SI.com
A new digital series created and produced by Intersport exclusively for SI.com launches today. Jenn-X Road Show features SI.com columnist Jenn Sterger as she traverses the country in pursuit of the very best college game day atmospheres. This week, Jenn visits Wichita State; in subsequent episodes, she will take trips to Oregon, Syracuse, LSU, Wisconsin, and the Mountain West Conference tournament.
Go to the Intersport Featured Work page to check out the premier episode or visit www.si.com and click on the "Video" tab. |
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FEB 1
2007
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State Farm College Football All-Star Challenge airs Saturday, February 3 at 4 pm ET on ESPN
ESPN will air the 9th Annual State Farm College Football All-Star Challenge this Saturday at 4 pm ET. The skills challenge will feature Ohio State QB Troy Smith, Florida QB Chris Leak, Auburn RB Kenny Irons, Notre Dame RB Darius Walker, Tennessee WR Robert Meachem, and more.
The College Football All-Star Challenge has become one of the most highly anticipated events of Super Bowl weekend. Past participants include Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper, Reggie Wayne, Julius Jones, Edgerrin James, Rex Grossman, Deuce McAllister, Javon Walker, Drew Brees, and Vince Young. In the past two years alone, this television event has featured eight first round draft selections. |
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JAN 24
2007
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NBC 5 in Chicago to feature Intersport on tonight's
10 pm CT newscast
Tonight's NBC 5 News in Chicago will profile the Intersport hospitality division and the important role it plays in Super Bow hospitality.
Intersport is an official hospitality provider for NFL On Location, providing premium corporate hospitality options for both the Super Bowl and the Pro Bowl. |
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JAN 16
2007 |
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CNBC will feature Intersport this morning on “Squawk Box” and air an interview with Intersport CEO Charlie Besser on today’s “Power Lunch.”
CNBC today will feature two segments on Intersport, one in the morning on “Squawk Box” and another later in the day during “Power Lunch.” Both segments are hosted by CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell, formerly of ESPN. On “Squawk Box,” Darren talks about Intersport’s relationship with the NFL and its status as one of only three companies authorized to sell Super Bowl hospitality packages as part of the League’s NFL On Location program. He also notes that we are the only partner company in Chicago. The segment promotes Intersport’s Gameday package and how it – compared to alternative Super Bowl XLI options – rates very well. During “Power Lunch,” there is footage from an interview with Intersport CEO Charlie Besser, who speaks on what a Super Bowl XLI appearance by the Bears would mean to the city of Chicago, and touches on what packages Intersport has to offer. |
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JAN 12
2007 |
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FOX Chicago features Intersport on its morning news program
Fox News Chicago this morning featured a segment profiling Intersport's status as an Official Hospitality Provider for Super Bowl XLI. With the Bears ready to begin their playoff run, there are a variety of great packages still available. |
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JAN 8
2007 |
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Super Bowl Hospitality Packages Available
Intersport's selection by the NFL as an Official Corporate Hospitality Provider of the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl allows Intersport to provide clients with unparalleled access to Super Bowl tickets, premium hotels and official NFL pre-and post-game festivities. As official provider, Intersport has access to tickets, hotels and entertainment before any other hospitality provider. Packages for Super Bowl XLI, held February 4 in Miami, are now available. |
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DEC 16
2006 |
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Greg Schiano named Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year
Rutgers University Head Football Coach Greg Schiano was named the inaugural Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year during an ABC Sports special produced by Chicago-based Intersport. The award honors Schiano as the college football coach who best exemplifies responsibility and excellence on and off the field of play.
Coach Schiano will receive $100,000 from Liberty Mutual to support his civic and charitable activities. In addition, Liberty Mutual will grant $20,000 in scholarship money to the Rutgers University Alumni Relations Program.
“This award means so much because it not only celebrates our 2006 season, but also the way we have built our football program – with young men of character, sportsmanship and integrity," said Schiano. “Rutgers football is on the map to stay, and we will continue to recruit and develop student-athletes who understand their roles and responsibilities, not only on the playing field but in the classroom and in their communities as well.”
An elite voting committee of College Football Hall of Fame players and coaches, national college football media, Liberty Mutual representatives, and fan voting at www.coachoftheyear.com selected Schiano from among 10 finalists. Media and Hall of Fame voters for the award included: Keith Jackson, Colin Cowherd (ESPN Radio), Dan Jenkins (Sports Illustrated/College Football Hall of Fame historian), Stewart Mandel (CNN-SI.com), Tim Brando (CBS Sports, Sporting News Radio), Craig Bennett (USA Today), Ivan Maisel (ESPN.com), Teddy Greenstein (Chicago Tribune), Bill King (Rivals Sports Network/Sirius Radio), Bud Withers (Seattle Times), Terry Donohue, LaVell Edwards, Archie Griffin, Bo Jackson, Ron Johnson, Gordie Lockbaum, Archie Manning, Don Nehlen, Tom Osborne, Jim Sochor, and Herschel Walker. |
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