Toyota signs new three-year deal with AFC Champion Indianapolis Colts
After a successful one-year partnership this past football season, the AFC champion Indianapolis Colts and Toyota have signed a new three-year contract which maintains the automaker’s status as “Official Vehicle of the Indianapolis Colts.”
The contract was signed earlier this week and expires at the conclusion of the Colts’ 2012-13 football season.
“Our Central Indiana Toyota dealers are excited to be extending this partnership with the Indianapolis Colts,” said Michael Rocco, General Manager of Toyota’s Chicago Region. “This past season was fantastic for Toyota because we were given the opportunity to promote our world-class vehicles and manufacturing presence in the state of Indiana, while supporting the Colts’ historic march to the Super Bowl.”
“We are absolutely thrilled to extend our partnership with Toyota,” added Indianapolis Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay. “We take pride knowing that Colts fans are helping manufacture several Toyota models right here on our home turf in Princeton and Lafayette, Indiana.”
Mirroring elements of the 2009-10 program, this new sponsorship contract includes Toyota vehicles being displayed at all entrances to Lucas Oil Stadium, as well as a special Toyota Zone seating area in the stadium’s Northeast corner. During the season, Colts fans will have the opportunity to win Toyota Zone tickets by registering at any of the 11 Central Indiana Toyota dealers. In addition, fans attending each home game will have the chance to win two tickets to the next home game in a text-to-win contest that will highlight Toyota’s economic and philanthropic contributions.
Other promotional elements of the program include sponsorship of the starting line-up announcements, as well as Tri-vision, Jumbotron and concourse signage. Toyota advertisements will also be aired during the full season on radio and pre-season on television.
Toyota has a large manufacturing presence in Indiana, with a plant in Princeton (Gibson County) that produces the Highlander, Sienna and Sequoia. The Toyota Camry is assembled in Lafayette by SIA.
NFL Mobile kicks off with Verizon Wireless in April
The National Football League (NFL) has joined forces with Verizon Wireless, the owner and operator of the nation’s most reliable wireless network, to provide fans with the deepest NFL experience on their mobile phones, it was announced today. The new four-year agreement for NFL Mobile kicks off next month with coverage of the 2010 NFL Draft to be held from April 22-24 and continues with the NFL’s regular season.
Verizon Wireless, which also becomes the NFL’s official wireless service sponsor, will provide fans with unprecedented access to America’s favorite sport regardless of whether they are in the stands, at home, or on the go.
Among the programming that will be available for the first time during the regular season will be the wildly popular NFL RedZone channel from the NFL Network, which airs live look-ins of every key play and touchdown from Sunday afternoon games. Fans also will be able to watch live streaming of NBC’s Sunday Night Football and NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football. In addition, fans will receive the NFL Network channel, which airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis, and is the only network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football.
“This is an agreement that has, at its core a mutual desire by both the NFL and Verizon Wireless to provide consumers with what they want on and off the field,” said John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “For Verizon Wireless, it is NFL content delivered over our 3G network so football fans can extend the excitement of the sport long after the last touchdown of a season. And the NFL content is customizable in that consumers have options from video to ringtones to alerts; the choice is theirs.”
The NFL experience will become increasingly rich as Verizon Wireless launches its 4G network. It plans to have 4G available in 25 to 30 markets in 2010 and in virtually all of its current nationwide 3G footprint by the end of 2013.
“We are looking forward to working with Verizon Wireless to deliver our fans the most extensive experience on mobile phones,” said Brian Rolapp, the NFL’s senior vice president of media strategy. “Our fans have an insatiable appetite for football, and we will be able to keep them connected wherever they are on game day but also throughout the year.”
In addition to NFL RedZone, live Sunday Night and Thursday Night games, and NFL Network, other features of NFL Mobile on Verizon Wireless will include:
– Video: Game highlights and an extensive collection of on-demand video featuring analysis and inside access from NFL Network and NFL Films.
– Audio: Live radio broadcasts of every regular season and playoff game from both home and away teams.
– Fantasy: Access to fantasy information, news, and player and team statistics.
– Customizable NFL alerts, ringtones and graphics.
Fans will get their first taste of NFL Mobile on Verizon Wireless with one of the most anticipated sports events of the year, the NFL Draft, to be held from April 22-24. Among the content:
– Live 24/7 stream of NFL Network’s coverage of the Draft from Radio City Music Hall.
– Extensive collection of on-demand video of NFL Network analysis.
– Pick-by-pick Draft tracker updated in real time.
– In-depth prospect profiles, blogs, news and more.
Source: Verizon Wireless
Super Bowl XLIV: New Orleans Saints – Indianapolis Colts 31-17
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter
7:29 IND FG Matt Stover kicked a 38-yard field goal 0 – 3
0:36 IND TD Peyton Manning passed to Pierre Garcon to the right for 19 yard gain (Matt Stover made PAT) 0 – 10
2nd Quarter
9:34 NO FG Garrett Hartley kicked a 46-yard field goal 3 – 10
0:00 NO FG Garrett Hartley kicked a 44-yard field goal 6 – 10
3rd Quarter
11:41 NO TD Drew Brees passed to Pierre Thomas to the right for 16 yard gain (Garrett Hartley made PAT) 13 – 10
6:15 IND TD Joseph Addai rushed to the right for 4 yard gain (Matt Stover made PAT) 13 – 17
2:01 NO FG Garrett Hartley kicked a 47-yard field goal 16 – 17
4th Quarter
5:42 NO TD Drew Brees passed to Jeremy Shockey to the right for 2 yard gain (2pt attempt converted, Drew Brees pass to Lance Moore) 24 – 17
3:12 NO TD Tracy Porter intercepted Peyton Manning for 74 yards (Garrett Hartley made PAT) 31 – 17