Reese’s Tips-Off NCAA® March Madness® and Continues NCAA Partnership by Celebrating College Basketball Fandom
Reese’s Brand Sweetens NCAA Final Four®
Weekend with Fan Programs, Charitable Activities, Reese’s Final Four
Friday® and the Reese’s NABC College All-Star
Game
HERSHEY, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Winning the 12th seed over the fifth seed pick in your
bracket definitely calls for two…Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, that
is! Reese’s brand is celebrating the passion and roller coaster
of emotions that the NCAA Tournament evokes in college basketball fans
through a variety of creative advertising, social media content and
in-store promotions. This year, Reese’s brand will celebrate its
eighth consecutive title sponsorship of the Reese’s NABC College
All-Star Game, featuring some of the most talented senior college
basketball student-athletes from NCAA Division I teams. The game
complements the brand’s larger relationship with the NCAA as official
candy partner and sponsorship of the fourth annual Reese’s Final
Four Friday®.
“Reese’s is thrilled to once again be a part of March Madness®
and the NCAA Tournament,” said Kristen Riggs, senior director Reese’s
Brand. “Reese’s wants to inspire fans to put more living into
life – and what better time than March Madness – the most emotional and
invigorating tournament in the college athletic arena. We can’t wait to
tip-off the NCAA Tournament season and we are confident that Reese’s
and college basketball fans nationwide will enjoy everything that we
have planned for them.”
From anticipation, to dejection, to euphoria, the NCAA Tournament has it
all, and Reese’s is going to be there no matter the emotion. To
celebrate this unrivaled fandom, the brand is hosting the “Fan Up”
online promotion. From now through April 5, fans can visit
ReesesFanUp.com to play the “Reese’s Instant Win Shootout” for a
chance to score NCAA team gear, Fanatics Cash, and a grand prize trip
for two to the 2016 NCAA® Men’s Final Four. [1]
REESE’S FINAL FOUR FRIDAY
In 2016, Reese’s will return for its fourth year as sponsor of Reese’s
Final Four Friday, a free event featuring practices from NCAA Final
Four teams along with fun fan activities, entertainment and giveaways.
To celebrate the kick-off of Reese’s Final Four Friday, Reese’s
and Kroger will host an on-court celebration at NRG Stadium with NCAA
Team Works, Houston Independent School District and Houston Public
Libraries recognizing the contributions of over 8,000 HISD third graders
from 68 schools who participated in the first-ever Read to the Final FourTM
program, reading a combined 6 million minutes in the month leading up to
the Final Four. The NCAA Team Works Read to the Final Four celebration
will take place at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on Friday, April 1 at
11 a.m. CT. All 68 third grade classes have been invited to the event,
where the top performing school will be named and awarded a trophy. The Reese’s
brand and Kroger will also be donating a combined $10,000 to the Read to
the Final Four schools during the celebration.
Reese’s Final Four Friday will also feature exciting events, Reese’s
giveaways, contests and performances by the HISD Atherton Drum Line and
the Acrodunk Dunk Team. Fans will also be able to watch practices by the
Final Four teams starting at 12 p.m. CT.
To culminate all of the activities of Reese’s Final Four Friday,
the Reese’s NABC College All-Star Game will take place on Friday,
April 1st at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game
will tip-off at 4:30 p.m. CT, and will be taped to air on CBS the
following day, Saturday, April 2, at 1 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. CT.
Carter Blackburn calls the action, along with analysts Steve Lappas and
Doug Gottlieb, and reporter Allie LaForce. Legendary coaches Doug
Collins and John Lucas will serve as head coaches for the East and West
teams.
“Reese’s always has a strong presence at the Men’s Final Four,
bringing fans some of the weekend’s most popular events like Final Four
Friday and the All-Star Game,” said Matt Wolfert, NCAA director of
corporate relationships, marketing and broadcast alliances. “We’re proud
to partner with Reese’s, and we’re glad that they continue to
support our student-athletes and provide our fans with activities that
lead to an exciting Final Four experience.”
For more information on Reese’s NCAA® activity, follow
along on Twitter @ReesesPBCups
and Facebook at Facebook.com/Reeses.
Fans are also encouraged to use the hashtag #MarchMood to showcase their
emotional highs and lows felt during March Madness.
About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY), headquartered in Hershey, Pa., is a
global confectionery leader known for bringing goodness to the world
through its chocolate, sweets, mints and other great-tasting snacks.
Hershey has more than 21,000 employees around the world who work every
day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company, which has more
than 80 brands around the world that drive over $7.4 billion in annual
revenues, includes such iconic brand names as Hershey’s, Reese’s,
Hershey’s Kisses, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers and Brookside.
Hershey is focused on growing its presence in key international markets
while continuing to build its competitive advantage in North America.
Additionally, Hershey is poised to expand its portfolio into categories
beyond confectionery, finding new ways to bring goodness to people
everywhere.
At Hershey, goodness has always been about more than delicious products.
For 120 years, Hershey has been committed to good business by operating
fairly, ethically and sustainably to make a positive impact on society.
This means contributing to a better life for its employees, consumers,
communities, and ultimately, creating a bright future for children in
need. This commitment is exemplified by Milton Hershey School,
established in 1909 by the company’s founder and administered by Hershey
Trust Company. The children who attend the school receive education,
housing, and medical care – thriving as direct beneficiaries of The
Hershey Company’s success.
About the NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and
universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to
create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes
each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond
for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA
sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of
intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year.
Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and
the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its
student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have AT&T, Capital One and
Coca-Cola as official corporate champions and the following elite
companies as official corporate partners: Allstate, Amazon Echo, Bing
(Microsoft), Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, Enterprise, Infiniti, LG,
Lowe’s, Nabisco, Northwestern Mutual, Reese’s, Unilever and UPS.
NCAA, Final Four, and March Madness are trademarks of the National
Collegiate Athletic Association.
About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by
Forrest “Phog” Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University
of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of
basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as
Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members
consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches.
All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being
a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of
the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and
athletic lives of today’s student-athletes. The four core values of
being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and
education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and
membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.
[1] NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND NECESSARY TO
PLAY OR WIN. PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. Open
only to legal U.S. residents residing in the 50 US/DC, 18+. Void in
Puerto Rico and where prohibited. Promotion ends on 4/5/16 at 11:59:59
p.m. EDT. Each day you Sign In through 3/21/16, 11:59:59 p.m. EDT, you
will receive an entry into the Grand Prize drawing. Odds of winning the
Grand Prize depend upon the number of eligible entries received. Odds of
winning an Instant-Win First Prize or an Instant Win Fan Up Prize depend
on the number of eligible Plays received and the order in which such
Plays are received. Click here for full
Official Rules. Sponsor: The Hershey Company. The NCAA is neither a
sponsor nor an administrator of this promotion.
Contacts
The Hershey Company
Anna Lingeris, 717-649-7214
alingeris@hersheys.com
or
Ketchum
Public Relations
Rachel Brueno, 212-796-9822
Rachel.brueno@ketchum.com
or
NCAA
Gail
Dent, 317-917-6117
gdent@ncaa.org
