Check out the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational's recent press releases...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EA SPORTS Extends its Title Sponsorship of Maui Invitational
Leading sports brand commits to nation's premier early-season
college basketball tournament through 2009
NORTHBROOK, Ill., April 4, 2008 – KemperSports today announced that EA SPORTSTM, a label of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), has agreed to a two-year extension as title sponsor of the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, the nation's premier early-season men's college basketball tournament. The pact will extend the partnership between EA SPORTS and the Maui Invitational through 2009.
EA SPORTS has been the title sponsor since 2001. Its overall commitment has been instrumental to the tournament's growth, as the firm has hosted a separate video game tournament, offered internships to students of tournament host Chaminade, expanded charities in the local community, and underwritten additional team expenses.
""We have been fortunate over the past several years to have the support of EA as our dedicated title sponsor,"" said Tournament Chairman Dave Gavitt of KemperSports. ""Like its video games, EA SPORTS is committed to bringing great sports experiences to life, and with its support the Maui Invitational will continue its tradition of creating the type of exciting college basketball games that have made this tournament such a great event.""
The tournament has also served as a launch pad for the EA SPORTS video game, NCAA® March Madness®, the No. 1-selling college basketball video game of all time*. The title sponsorship has enabled EA SPORTS, the world's leading interactive sports software brand, to tap into new levels of brand awareness, product promotion and immersion into real-world sports events via a rich portfolio of sponsorship activities and involvement.
""At EA SPORTS, we partner with marquee sporting events like the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational -- the best early-season college basketball tournament and a hallmark of college athletics,"" said Brian Movalson, director of sports marketing for EA SPORTS. ""This tournament puts our brand center court while also providing opportunities to interface with the participating teams, coaches and numerous organizations that are central to our promotion and growth.""
EA SPORTS has been the only title sponsor in the tournament's 24-year history.
The 2008 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Hosted by Chaminade University, will mark the tournament's 25th year of launching the college basketball season. This year's NCAA Tournament participants North Carolina, Texas, Notre Dame, Indiana, Oregon and St. Joseph's, along with Alabama and host Chaminade, will vie for the coveted early-season crown Nov. 24-26 at Maui's Lahaina Civic Center. The ESPN networks will again offer live television coverage of all 12 tournament games.
Other tournament sponsors include the Maui Visitors Bureau, County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation, Hawaii Tourism Authority, adidas, GEICO and Gatorade. The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Sheraton Maui Resort and Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, all located in the beautiful Ka'anapali Beach resort area, serve as host hotels for the thousands of fans and boosters who annually accompany their teams to Maui. KemperSports has operated the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational since 1990.
For a variety of tournament information as well as details regarding 2008 ticket and travel packages, visit the official tournament Web site at www.mauiinvitational.com or contact Oahu Travel, the official tournament travel agent, at 800.826.3822.
*Based on total franchise sales through February 2008 according to the NPD Group, Inc.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA SPORTS BIG™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2007, EA posted revenue of $3.09 billion and had 24 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, SPORTS BIG and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. NCAA and March Madness are trademarks or registered trademarks of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
About KemperSports
KemperSports Marketing & Communications, an affiliate of Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports, is a sports marketing, events and public relations agency, which has produced and managed major national and international events and communications programs, including the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational college basketball tournament, numerous PGA TOUR events and The Art of Food & Wine Palm Desert. For more information, visit www.kempersports.com.
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2008 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Teams Earn NCAA Tournament Berths
Six of seven Division I teams in tournament's 2008 field
prepare for March Madness
NORTHBROOK, Ill., March 18, 2008 – The 2008 EA SPORTSTM Maui Invitational® field made an impressive mark on Selection Sunday as six of the seven Division I teams in the tournament's 2008 field earned NCAA tournament berths. North Carolina, winner of this year's Atlantic Coast Conference title, was named a top seed in the East regional, followed by Notre Dame (No. 5 seed), Indiana (No. 8 seed) and St. Joseph's (No. 11 seed). Texas earned the No. 2 seed in the South regional and Oregon took the No. 9 spot.
Among the 2008 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational teams competing in the 2008 NCAA Tournament is four-time national champion, North Carolina, a team that has won the Maui title twice (1999, 2004) in its four tournament appearances. Texas, a team that has advanced to each of the last 10 NCAA tournaments, competed for the Maui crown in 1993 and 2004. Notre Dame, making its 29th NCAA tournament visit, finished sixth in the 1993 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational. Indiana, owner of five national championships, topped the Maui field in 2002 to bring its overall tournament record to 8-4 in four appearances. Oregon and St. Joseph's, making their 10th and 19th NCAA tournament appearances in school history, respectively, will debut in Maui this November.
2007 Maui champion and runner-up, Duke and Marquette, also received 2008 NCAA Tournament bids (No. 2 and No. 6 seeds, respectively), further establishing the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational's status as a barometer of March Madness. Tournament host and Pacific West Conference champion, Chaminade, advanced to the NCAA Division II Men's Basketball West Region semifinals.
Overall, EA SPORTS Maui Invitational participants have won an impressive 53 of 69 NCAA championships, 53 of 69 national runner-up spots and have comprised 206 of 276 Final Four teams.
The 2008 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Hosted by Chaminade University will mark the tournament's 25th year of launching the college basketball season when North Carolina, Texas, Notre Dame, Indiana, Oregon, St. Joseph's, Alabama and host Chaminade vie for the coveted early-season crown Nov. 24-26 at Maui's Lahaina Civic Center. The ESPN networks will again offer live television coverage of all 12 tournament games.
EA SPORTS, the world's leading interactive entertainment software company and developer of the top-selling NCAA® March Madness® videogame, has been the title sponsor of the Maui Invitational since 2001. Other tournament sponsors include the Maui Visitors Bureau, County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation, Hawaii Tourism Authority, adidas, GEICO and Gatorade. The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Sheraton Maui Resort and Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, all from the beautiful Ka'anapali Beach resort area, serve as host hotels for the thousands of fans and boosters who annually accompany their teams to Maui. KemperSports has operated the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational since 1990.
For a variety of tournament information as well as details regarding 2008 ticket and travel packages, visit the official tournament Web site at www.mauiinvitational.com or contact Oahu Travel, the official tournament travel agent, at 800.826.3822.
About KemperSports
KemperSports Marketing & Communications, an affiliate of Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports, is a sports marketing, events and public relations agency, which has produced and managed major national and international events and communications programs, including the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational college basketball tournament, numerous PGA TOUR events and The Art of Food & Wine Palm Desert. For more information, visit www.kempersports.com.
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2007 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Boosts Local Economy by $8 Million Plus
Nation's premier early-season college basketball tourney continues
legacy of great competition, strong fields and economic uplift
MAUI, Hawaii, March 13, 2008 – The 2007 EA SPORTSTM Maui Invitational® Hosted by Chaminade University again ranked among Hawaii's top revenue-generating events by bolstering the local economy by more than $8 million, according to the latest financial data released by the Maui Visitors Bureau. The nation's premier early-season college basketball tournament has brought nearly $130 million to Maui's economy since the tournament's debut in 1984.
"This tournament has consistently benefited Maui's economy while showcasing the island's beauty and culture to the thousands who visit each November and for the millions more who watch it live on national television," said Terryl Vencl, executive director of the Maui Visitors Bureau. The EA SPORTS Maui Invitational is a hallmark in college sports and an immense source of pride for the people of Maui. We look forward to celebrating the tournament's 25th edition this year."
The EA SPORTS Maui Invitational's impact resulted from expenditures by the 4,500 out-of-state visitors – boosters, players, officials, media, team and game personnel, sponsors, production crews and devoted basketball fans – who traveled to Maui for the season-opening tournament.
The economic boost accompanied a 2007 tournament that featured a strong field, including tournament champion Duke and runner-up Marquette, two teams that were ranked in The Associated Press' Top 25 preseason poll and remained in the nation's top 25 throughout the regular season. In a riveting championship battle, Duke beat Marquette to claim a tournament-record fourth title.
Approximately 4.5 million television viewers watched the 2007 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, thanks to a long-term agreement between ESPN and tournament operator KemperSports to broadcast live a minimum of nine tournament games annually through 2011. ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU combined to offer live television coverage of all 12 tournament games in 2007.
In addition to its economic impact, the tournament has historically contributed charitable dollars directly to numerous local organizations and groups, including the Aloha House, Baldwin High School, Boy Scouts of Maui, Job Corps, Lahainaluna High School, Make A Wish, Maui Family YMCA, Maui Food Bank, Napili Canoe Club and Starwood Foundation of Hawaii, among others. Other examples of charitable outreach include: the Chaminade Silverswords Hoops Clinic in Lahaina and Food Drive for the Maui Food Bank; donations of Gatorade product and Wilson basketballs provided to the County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation; and a charity free-throw contest in which local Maui students have teamed up with EA SPORTS Maui Invitational head basketball coaches to raise money for the students' respective schools.
The 2008 EA SPORTS Maui Invitational will mark the tournament's 25th year of launching the college basketball season. North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, Notre Dame, Alabama, Oregon, Saint Joseph's and host Chaminade will vie for the coveted early-season crown Nov. 24-26 at Maui's Lahaina Civic Center. The ESPN networks will again offer live television coverage of all 12 tournament games.
EA SPORTS, the world's leading interactive entertainment software company and developer of the top-selling NCAA® March Madness® videogame, has been the title sponsor of the Maui Invitational since 2001. Other tournament sponsors include the Maui Visitors Bureau, County of Maui Department of Parks and Recreation, Hawaii Tourism Authority, adidas, GEICO and Gatorade. The Westin Maui Resort & Spa, Sheraton Maui Resort and Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa, all from the beautiful Ka'anapali Beach resort area, serve as host hotels for the thousands of fans and boosters who annually accompany their teams to Maui. KemperSports has operated the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational since 1990.
For a variety of tournament information as well as details regarding 2008 tickets and travel packages, visit the official tournament Web site at www.mauiinvitational.com or contact Oahu Travel, the official tournament travel agent, at 800.826.3822.
About KemperSports
KemperSports Marketing & Communications, an affiliate of Northbrook, Ill.-based KemperSports, is a sports marketing, events and public relations agency, which has produced and managed major national and international events and communications programs, including the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational college basketball tournament, numerous PGA TOUR events and The Art of Food & Wine Palm Desert. For more information, visit www.kempersports.com.
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