Chrysler Group's Commercial-Free Halftime Show Allows Bands To Play Uninterrupted

African-American-owned New Vision Sports Properties announced today that it has negotiated a new television partnership for the 2004 football season on behalf of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis Thomas approached his sports marketing agency, New Vision Sports, requesting a new TV deal that would place teams from his conference in front of larger audiences. New Vision Sports, which also represents the SIAC and SWAC and unites the three HBCU conferences under one umbrella, immediately began teaming with corporate advertising partners and brought in Integrated Sports Media (ISM TV), an African-American-owned media production and distribution company, to negotiate with television stations.

The result was 18 newly televised games from schedules of MEAC, SIAC and SWAC football programs, beginning with two games on Saturday, September 4 televised by ISM TV. Black Entertainment Television (BET) and College Sports TV (CSTV) will each televise games nationally (three by BET, one by CSTV). Additional national and regional coverage includes 12 games by ISM TV and two by FOX Sports Regional.

"All of the pieces came together to make this very exciting television package materialize," says MEAC Commissioner Dr. Dennis Thomas. "New Vision Sports used its experience to bring corporate America to the table to purchase inventory for our games, and ISM TV brought its expertise in dealing with media outlets so they could realize the value of our institutions. The MEAC possesses a great product with devout followings, and this is a means for our programs to be seen in a positive, media-friendly light. I am looking forward to completing similar television packages for our other sports this season as well."

As part of the 12-game ISM TV package, Chrysler Group and its brands of either Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep will present 12 commercial-free halftimes, allowing fans to view the entire shows between the competing school's bands without interruption. This presents an added bonus for viewers, as the competition between bands is almost as legendary and historical as the HBCU football games themselves.

"This is an outstanding television package that gives our football programs the national media attention they deserve," says SWAC Commissioner Robert Vowels. "We are elated to know the participating media partners understand the economic value of our universities."

The SWAC, MEAC and SIAC are comprised of 21 Division I and 11 Division II institutions located throughout the south from Texas to Virginia. The 32 institutions of higher learning that are members of the three conferences have been in existence for over 100 years and have produced some of the sporting world's most famous athletes, including such legendary names as Deacon Jones, Edwin Moses, Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, Lou Brock, Althea Gibson, Bob Hayes, Willie Brown and Willis Reed.

New Vision Sports Properties of Oakland, California is a full-service sports marketing company that specializes in selling, executing and servicing major corporate partnerships. Representing the MEAC, SIAC and SWAC as a group since 2003, New Vision Sports has aggressively implemented a multi-faceted sports marketing program that has generated huge dividends such as a newly created and extensive television deal, and a first-of-its-kind merchandise/retail program. As part of its corporate partnership agreements for the conferences, New Vision Sports has produced relationships with four Fortune 500 companies.

CONTACT:

Ron Rogers
Shennum Green Public Relations
Phone: 925-461-6275
E-mail: ron.rogers@shennumgreen.com

HBCU TV SCHEDULE

DATE TIME* TEAMS BROADCAST GAME NOTE
9/4/04 6pm - Jackson St. vs. Hampton ISM TV** Orlando Labor Day Classic
9/4/04 1pm - Howard vs. Alabama St. ISM TV** Detroit Classic
9/18/04 4pm - Alcorn St. vs. Howard ISM TV** Prince George Classic
9/18/04 12pm - Grambling St. vs. Bethune Cookman CSTV Ohio Classic
9/25/04 5:50pm - Morehouse vs. Kentucky St. ISM TV** Lexington Heritage Classic
9/25/04 4pm - Hampton vs. Morgan St. BET Urban League Classic
10/2/04 6pm - Bethune Cookman vs. Morgan St. ISM TV**
10/2/04 7pm - Grambling St. vs. Prairie View A&M FOX Sports Regional State Fair Classic
10/9/04 1:30pm - Morgan St. vs. N.C. A&T ISM TV** N.C. A&T Homecoming
10/16/04 1:30pm - Hampton vs. Norfolk St. ISM TV** Battle of the Bay
10/16/04 2pm - Alcorn St. vs. Texas Southern FOX Sports Regional Alcorn St. Homecoming
10/30/04 3pm - Alabama St. vs. Alabama A&M BET Magic City Classic
11/6/04 1:30pm - Howard vs. S.C. St. ISM TV** S.C. St. Homecoming
11/6/04 2pm - Hampton vs. Bethune Cookman ISM TV** Hampton Homecoming
11/13/04 TBD - MEAC (Best Available) ISM TV**
11/20/04 TBD - MEAC (Best Available) ISM TV**
11/20/04 4pm - Bethune Cookman vs. Florida A&M ISM TV** Florida Classic
12/11/04 TBD - SWAC Football Championship BET Top two team from SWAC

Time Warner Cable (Milwaukee, WI)
WRCX-TV 40 (Dayton, OH)
C-SET - Carolina Sports & Entertainment (North and South Carolina)
FOX College Sports (National)
Time Warner (Minneapolis, MN)
FOX Sports Net Chicago (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin)
FOX Sports Net Detroit (Michigan and Ohio)
Empire Sorts Network (Eastern New York and Pennsylvania)
WBLU TV (Lexington, KY)
Time Warner (Jackson, MS and Monroe, LA)
UATVN - Urban American Television Network (National - check locals listing for station in area)
WJAL-TV 68 (Harrisburg, PA, Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, Alexandria, VA, West Virginia)
KYES-TV 5, UPN (Anchorage, Alaska)
WGSR-TV 39 (Greensboro, NC, Highpoint, NC, Winston Salem, NC)
WYCS-TV (Louisville, KY)
Comcast Sports South - Regional Cable (Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky)
Time Warner Cable (Memphis, TN)
CAU-TV (Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, GA)
Metro Sports - Time Warner/Comcast (Kansas City, MO and Kansas)
TV 2, UPN (St. Thomas, Virgin Islands)