PAUL HOILMAN OF ETSU WINS INAUGURAL TD AMERITRADE COLLEGE HOME RUN DERBY

Paul Hoilman of East Tennessee cranked 12 home runs in the second round to claim the title at the first annual TD AMERITRADE College Home Run Derby. Hoilman beat the other finalists Matt Skole (Georgia Tech) and Jordan Ribera (Fresno State). Ribera, who led Division I with 27 HR last season, hit one home run in the finals while Skole did not hit a home run in the final round.

Televised on CBS on Sunday, July 12, the TD AMERITRADE College Home Run Derby featured seven of the nation's finest long-ball hitters. Former American League MVP Frank Thomas served as the color commentator alongside CBS analyst Adam Zucker.  Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt and 2010 inductee Andre Dawson also joined the broadcasters and served as honorary hitting coaches for the college sluggers.

Viewers can see the re-air on Sunday, August 22 at 5:00 pm ET on CBS and catch all the action on CBS College Sports (check local listings).

CELEBTV WINS BRONZE TELLY AWARD FOR CHASE BLUEPRINT VIDEO

CelebTV.com, a division of Intersport, has been awarded the Bronze Telly in the Internet and Online Commercial Category. The winning piece, Chase Blueprint Home Makeover, premiered last December as part of a branded series leading up to CelebTV's annual holiday special Chase Presents CelebTV.com's Holiday of Stars. In the segment, former NFL quarterback Jesse Palmer and designer Kelly Edwards re-decorated Palmer's home for the holidays using Chase Blueprint's unique features to pay off the purchases.

The Telly Awards honor the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions, and work created for the web.  Last year, the 30th Annual Telly Awards received over 13,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents.

20 WEST SERIES THE SQUEEZE ON MSNBC EARNS ACCOLADES AT THE 2010 HUGO TELEVISION AWARDS

The Hugo Television Awards pay tribute to those who push the envelope and display mastery of their craft. Every year the most innovative members of the television industry submit their work to the Hugo Television Awards to be recognized as a leader in the field.

The Squeeze won two awards at this year's Hugo Television Awards.  The series received the Silver Plaque in the category of editing and a Gold Plaque for best reality series.  Gold and Silver Plaques are awarded to entries of superior quality that are among the best in their category.

STUDENT-ATHLETE PARTICIPANTS ANNOUNCED FOR 22ND ANNUAL STATE FARM COLLEGE SLAM DUNK AND THREE-POINT CHAMPIONSHIPS

Lazar Hayward from Marquette, Ali Farokhmanesh from Northern Iowa and Ashley Barlow from Notre Dame Featured in

Event Held at Bracket Town™ Refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero™ and Broadcast on ESPN

Intersport, the sports and event marketing company working with the NCAA to conduct this year’s 22nd Annual State Farm College Slam Dunk and Three-Point Championships, today announced the player participants for the Slam Dunk, Men’s Three-Point and Women’s Three-Point events.

“The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s basketball tournament games have showcased outstanding student-athletes and exciting competition, and this year we’ve assembled a tremendous roster of talent to compete in the State Farm Slam Dunk and Three-Point Championships,” said Dan Jones, vice president of sponsorship and event marketing at Intersport. “I know these student-athletes will give the fans and at-home viewers an entertaining show.”

The event roster includes:

Denny’s SLAM DUNK COMPETITION

Gerard Anderson, Cal St. Fullerton; Marqus Blakeley, Vermont; Ryan Brooks, Temple; Marquez Haynes, UT-Arlington; Lazar Hayward, Marquette; Marsharee Neely, Old Dominion; Chris Roberts, Bradley; L.D. Williams, Wake Forest.  

Built Ford Tough MEN’S THREE-POINT CONTEST

Jermaine Beal, Vanderbilt; Jason Bohannon, Wisconsin; Ali Farokhmanesh, Northern Iowa; Eric Hayes, Maryland; Roman Martinez, New Mexico; Jerome Randle, California; Michael Roll, UCLA; Ryan Wittman, Cornell.

State Farm WOMEN’S THREE-POINT CONTEST

Ashley Barlow, Notre Dame; Taylor Lilley, Oregon; Merideth Marsh, Vanderbilt; Maggie McCloskey, Loyola Chicago; Kelly McManmon, St. John’s; Brigid Mulroy, Detroit Mercy; Bianca Smith, Colorado; Yvonne Turner, Nebraska.

The Men’s Three-Point Champion and Women’s Three-Point Champion will compete in the Mercedes-Benz BATTLE OF THE CHAMPIONS.

All competitions will take place on Thursday, April 1 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Bracket Town™ refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero™ in Spalding Arena, which will be located at the Indiana Convention Center. Celebrity judges for the event include Gary Brackett and Eric Foster of the Indianapolis Colts, Danny Granger and Dahntay Jones of the Indiana Pacers and others to be named soon.

ESPN will broadcast the event on Thursday, April 1 from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes and Holly Rowe will be the announcing team.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children and are on sale now at the Lucas Oil Stadium box office until the day of the event. On Thursday, April 1, tickets can be purchased at the Indiana Convention Center.

GUEST JUDGES ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2010 STATE FARM COLLEGE SLAM DUNK AND THREE- POINT CHAMPIONSHIPS™

INDIANAPOLIS--- The 22nd annual State Farm College Slam Dunk and Three Point Championships is making its first official appearance at the NCAA® Men’s Final Four®.  The event, sponsored by the NCAA’s Official Corporate Partner State Farm, and televised nationally on ESPN, brings together NCAA basketball’s top three-point shooters and slam dunk artists competing in four separate competitions: men’s three-point shooting, women’s three-point shooting, men’s vs. women’s three-point champions, and the slam dunk competition.

All competitions will take place on Thursday, April 1 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in Bracket Town refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero, which will be located at the Indiana Convention Center.   Celebrity judges for the event include Gary Brackett and Eric Foster of the Indianapolis Colts, Danny Granger and Dahntay Jones of the Indiana Pacers and others to be named in the coming days. Brad Nessler, Steve Lavin, Jimmy Dykes and Erin Andrews will be the announcing team for ESPN.

 “We are pleased to again be presenting the College Slam Dunk and Three Point Championships, “John Althoff, Sponsorship Director, State Farm. “Fans won’t want to miss this unique event that showcases the amazing talents of today’s NCAA student athletes.”

Past participants in the event have included Steve Nash (Santa Clara), Gary Payton (Oregon State), Michael Finley (Wisconsin), Aaron Brooks (Oregon), Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers), and Betty Lennox (Louisiana Tech).

“The State Farm College Slam Dunk and Three Point Championships are a great addition to the Men’s Final Four in our continued efforts to engage basketball fans in the full Final Four experience,” said Greg Shaheen, Senior Vice President of Basketball and Business Strategies, National Collegiate Athletic Association. “And, the Spalding Arena at Bracket Town refreshed by Coca-Cola Zero provides the perfect setting to watch these great student-athletes show their skills up close.”

Intersport, a Chicago-based sports and entertainment marketing company, created the College Slam Dunk and Three-Point Championships in 1988, and is working with the NCAA to conduct this year’s event.

 “We’re thrilled to be at Bracket Town this weekend for the College Slam Dunk and Three-Point Championship as it represents the beginning of the next generation of excitement for both the fans and players,” said Charlie Besser, president and CEO of Intersport.   “The production is outstanding and the event is a great fit for the NCAA and its Final Four weekend of activities.”

Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children and are on sale now at the Lucas Oil Stadium box office until the day of the event.  On Thursday, April 1, tickets can be purchased at the Indiana Convention Center.

For more information on the State Farm College Slam Dunk and Three Point Championships, as well as other Final Four fan events, visit www.NCAA.com/FINALFOUR.

NCAA, Final Four, March Madness and Bracket Town are trademarks owned or licensed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Intersport to Produce ALMS Television Specials

American Le Mans Series (ALMS) has hired Intersport to produce two 90-minute television specials which will feature race highlights and exclusive trackside footage from ALMS races at Laguna Seca and Mid-Ohio.  The specials - airing on May 29 and August 15 on CBS - will explore the science of road racing with a look at the technology of the cars and the drivers and venues that make ALMS the best in class for sports car and prototype road racing.

Between the two television programs, an original digital series will follow major ALMS storylines and profile marquee drivers while driving awareness for the specials on CBS.

Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Winners Announced

With all the votes tallied, the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winners were announced on January 6 in Newport Beach, CA.  Gary Patterson of TCU, Jerry Moore of Appalachian St., Mel Tjeerdsma of Northwest Missouri St., and Steve Staker of Coe College were honored at a reception hosted by Award representative and College Football Hall of Fame chairman Archie Manning on Wednesday. The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award recognizes college football coaches who best represent the qualities of sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility, and excellence on and off the field.

In addition to the award, each winning coach receives $50,000 to support charitable activities, and the school's alumni association is given a $20,000 scholarship donation.  A portion of Patterson's charitable donation was targeted for the Presbyterian Night Shelter, which serves the needs of the homeless in Tarrant County, TX.  In the four years of the award, Liberty Mutual has donated nearly $1 million. Learn more about the winning coaches at the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year website.

CelebTV.com Minute Premieres in Twenty Markets

CelebTV.com Minute premiered this week on twenty Tribune-owned television stations across the nation. This branded, minute-long celebrity news feature allows viewers to catch up on their favorite CelebTV.com stories during their local news broadcast.  CelebTV.com Minute will be distributed daily to stations in twenty of the top fifty markets in America including New York (WPIX), Los Angeles (KTLA), Chicago (WGN), and Philadelphia (WPHL). CelebTV.com Minute is also available nationally on WGN America superstation.

UnderArmour All-America Game Selection Tour presented by Right Guard Visiting Elite Schools Around the Nation

The Under Armour All-America Game SelectionTour presented by Right Guard will visit ten elite high schools across the nation this October and November to honor the next generation of players that have been selected to participate in the 2010 game.  Each selection tour stop will include a press conference and an honorary jersey presentation by Right Guard. Among the ten players highlighted on the tour are Nick Montana, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame and former NFL quarterback Joe Montana, and Jordan Hicks, the nation’s #2 overall prospect according to ESPNU. During his jersey presentation, the currently undecided Hicks received congratulatory phone calls from Florida head football coach Urban Meyer, Ohio State's Jim Tressel, Texas’ Mack Brown and USC’s Pete Carroll.

The Under Armour All-America Game features eighty-five of the nation’s top high school football players as selected by ESPN and Scouts Inc. The 2010 Under Armour All-America Game will be played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL on Saturday, January 2, 2010 at 11:00 am ET. The game will air live on ESPN. The following athletes will be honored during the Under Armour All-America Selection Tour presented by Right Guard:

- Jordan Hicks, West Chester, OH

- Demarcus Milliner, Millbrook, AL

- Taylor Bible, Denton, TX

- Darius White, Ft. Worth, TX

- Phillip Sims, Chesapeake, VA

- Evan Hailes, Chesapeake, VA

- Nick Montana , Westlake Village, CA

- Michael Dyer, Little Rock, AR

- Dakota Mosley, Little Rock, AR

- Jonathan Dowling, Bradenton, FL

- Lamarcus Joyner, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

- Cody Riggs, Ft. Lauderdale, FL

- Jeff Luc, Port St. Lucie, FL

2009 State Farm Tip-Off Classic Announced; new logo unveiled

Intersport is pleased to announce that the 2009 StateFarm Tip-Off Classic will be held in Knoxville, TN on November 15. TheUniversity of Tennessee Lady Vols will host Baylor at 5 p.m. (ESPN2) as the State Farm Tip Off Classic proudly celebrates its 17th year.

This year will mark Tennessee's seventh appearance in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic, winning in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 2002. Baylor will be making its third appearance in the event.

During this year's game, there will be five WBHOF inductees sitting on the benches including Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt and Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey. Assistant coaches Holly Warlick, Daedra Charles-Furlow and Leon Barmore are also in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

During halftime, the WBHOF's Class of 2010 will be introduced to the arena and the national television audience.

In addition to it being the first year where the SFTOC will consist of just one game instead of the previous format of a doubleheader, the new event logo (right) will be proudly displayed for the first time.

Fan Voting Begins for the 2009 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year

The Liberty Mutual Coach of  the Year Award is back! At the conclusion of the 2009 college football season, Liberty Mutual will once again honor one coach from each of the four NCAA divisions who demonstrates sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence both on and off the field.

"The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year award differentiates itself from other college football trophies by going beyond wins and losses to celebrate the positive impact our coaches make on the lives of the student-athletes they mentor and the communities in which they live," said Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year spokesman Kirk Herbstreit. "A simple click enables you to express your passionate support for your team and coach, and may make a difference in how charities across the country will benefit from this award."

Nine Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year winners have donated a combined $680,000 in award money toward charity and scholarship since 2006, and Liberty Mutual Insurance continues this philanthropic legacy with the opening of voting for the 2009 awards at www.coachoftheyear.com through December 6.

Visit the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year website and vote daily website.

Intersport Named to Event Marketer's "It List" for Fourth Consecutive Year

From Event Marketer, June 2009:

Stop calling them just a television company. Yes, their roots are in media, but that's old news. Start calling Intersport one of the sweetest sponsorship negotiation and activation partners. Intersport became certified in electronic data-capture and is moving quickly from sports into entertainment.

Read the complete article here website.

Intersport Backs the Bid with Olympic Day Events for Chicago 2016

Intersport has been selected by Chicago 2016 to help manage the planning and execution of events for Olympic Day in the candidate city of Chicago. Olympic Day - a one-day international celebration of the Olympic movement - will be held in over one hundred cities across the world on Tuesday, June 23 with most of the Chicago activities scheduled at North Avenue Beach. With assistance from the Chicago Sport & Social Club, Intersport and North Avenue Beach will host dozens of Olympic and Paralympic competitions and exhibitions such as archery, wheelchair basketball, beach volleyball and soccer. An after party featuring performances by The Freddy Jones Band and Elevation begins at North Avenue Beach at 6:00pm. Olympic Day will also include several Fun Runs, an activation at U.S. Cellular Field during the Dodgers-White Sox game, and a massive public relations campaign. Major cities and small towns worldwide will be holding similar events to celebrate the values and fundamental principles of the Olympic movement.

Visit the Chicago 2016 website for more information on Olympic Day.

Truth in 24 Nominated at Milan International Film Festival

The Milan International Film Festival has announced Truth in 24 as an official nominee for the 2009 competition. The critically-acclaimed documentary chronicling Audi Sport Racing Team’s efforts to reclaim victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans has previously screened at the Chicago International Film Festival, AFI Fest 2008, the US Sports Film Festival, and the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival. Truth in 24 is up for consideration for Best Picture in the category of “In Good Company.” Festival screenings will be held from May 13 to May 18 with the Grand Audience Winner Award presented on May 19. The MIFF Awards has been recognized as the official international cinema festival of Milan. Each year, this cutting-edge festival honors an eclectic pool of exceptional independent films and filmmakers from all over the world.

Learn more about Truth in 24’s nomination by visiting the MIFF website.

Varsity Rivals Nominated for Sports Emmy Award

Intersport is proud to announce that it has been nominated for a Sports Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Edited Sports Special for its series Varsity Rivals.  This represents Intersport's second nomination for producing first-class high school football programming in as many years.  The 30th Annual Sports Emmy Awards will be hosted at the prestigious Frederick P. Rose Hall located in the Time Warner Center on April 27th, 2009 in New York City. 

Read the complete press release at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences website.

Intersport Honored for Greatest High School Football Rivalries Series

Intersport, in association with NFL Films, has been honored with a Telly Award for the breakthrough Versus series Greatest High School Football Rivalries.  The program combined stunning cinematography with the drama, heartbreak, and glory of some of the most heated rivalries in high school football.  Greatest High School Football Rivalries was awarded the Silver Telly, the highest honor in the sports category.  Visit the Intersport Featured Work page to see video from the program.

About the Telly Awards:

The Telly Awards honor the very best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions, and work created for the Web.  Since 1978, the Telly Awards have been strengthening the visual arts community by inspiring, promotion, and supporting creativity.  The 29th Annual Telly Awards received over 14,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents.

Intersport to Debut Its First Ever Full-Length Documentary at 2008 Chicago International Film Festival

Intersport, the Chicago-based Emmy Award-winning producer and distributor of original sports and entertainment content, announced today that the company’s first ever full-length feature film, “Truth in 24,” will debut at a special screening during the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival on October 25, 2008.

Intersport teamed with NFL Films to present audiences with a never-before-seen look at the legendary Audi Sport racing team and their quest to win a record fifth-straight 24 Hours of LeMans.  The film explores the high-tech genius of engineers and drivers as they race against history and up-and-coming local rivals, Team Peugeot.   

Narrated by English actor Jason Statham (Transporter, The Italian Job, Snatch), “Truth in 24” rides shotgun with drivers Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Dindo Capello as they prepare for the 2008 LeMans contest.  Reaching deep into the Audi camp, the film unearths the drama and emotion of the legendary 76-year old motorsports contest.

“We are ecstatic with the final product and proud that the Intersport and NFL Films production teams have been able to capture the heart and the drama inside the Audi Sport team,” said Charlie Besser, Intersport’s President and CEO. “The film provides unparalleled, behind-the-scenes access into the team’s racing strategy, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats as the race unfolds.”

The Chicago screening will take place at the AMC River East movie theater on Saturday, October 25 at 7pm.  The “Truth in 24” world premiere will take place at the AFI Film Festival in Los Angeles on November 6.

Learn more about the film at www.truthin24.com

2008 State Farm Tip-Off Classic Field Confirmed

The 2008-09 women’s collegiate basketball season will be tipped off in style as the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame teams up with State Farm, Intersport and ESPN to host the 2008 State Farm Tip-Off Classic on November 16.

This year’s Tip-Off Classic will feature Notre Dame against LSU at 1:30 p.m. (CST) and the University of Pittsburgh versus Texas A&M at 4 p.m. (CST). Both games will be played at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center at Louisiana State University and televised live on ESPN2.

“ We are very excited to be in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic, but even more excited to be hosting the event on our home floor,” LSU head coach Van Chancellor said. “This is one of the premiere events of the season, and we are honored to be a part of it. There are three great institutions that will be joining us. We look forward to starting the season in the (State Farm) Tip-Off Classic.”  

Tickets can be purchased by calling 225-578-2184 or 1-800-960-8587 or going to www.lsusports.net.

Intersport's "Steal a Base, Steal a Taco" campaign for Taco Bell receives more accolades

QSR Magazine - the leading media outlet covering the $180 billion quick-service restaurant industry - recently released its list of the top 10 iconic marketing events of 2007. The Intersport-executed 'Steal a Base, Steal a Taco' campaign proved that "it's still possible to hit a homerun." Here's what the magazine had to say about the promotion:

Arguably the brightest bit of product placement conjured up in 2007 was Taco Bell’s “Steal A Base, Steal A Taco” promotion during the World Series. The gist of the promotion was that if any player stole a base at any time during the World Series, Taco Bell would provide a free taco to everyone in America (as long as people showed up at a Taco Bell store during a designated mid-afternoon period on a specific Tuesday afternoon). Despite the considerable time restriction placed on the payoff, the promotion was mentioned/discussed almost incessantly by players and announcers during the course of the World Series games.

CNBC business reporter Darren Rovell was particularly captivated. He calculated that the chain might have actually dispensed as few as 35,000 free tacos and that Taco Bell likely received $8 million of free television publicity. Rovell also got off the best line about the promotion: “[Yesterday] a World Series game broke out in the middle of a Taco Bell commercial.”

Link

Gillette 2008 MLB Rookie Reporter Showdown will give one MLB fan a dream job at the 2008 World Series

Baseball fans who dream of interviewing their heroes at America’s most beloved ballparks just moved a step closer to their fantasy assignment with today’s announce-ment of the Gillette 2008 MLB Rookie Reporter Showdown, a nationwide search that will culminate with one lucky fan joining the MLB.com broadcasting team during the 2008 World Series.

Auditions will be held throughout June. Then, forty-eight Gillette MLB Rookie Reporters will be chosen—four representing each of 12 participating MLB Clubs. The auditions will take place at 12 MLB stadiums. Video auditions can also be uploaded online at www.MLB.com/GilletteReporter.

Later this summer, the Gillette MLB Rookie Reporter participants will compete in reporter challenges that will be produced by Intersport and will air during local Major League Baseball telecasts. The winner will travel to the 2008 World Series as the Gillette MLB Rookie Reporter.