Los Angeles, CA. (Oct. 27, 2010) — Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc., the nation’s largest and oldest youth football, cheer and dance organization, announced today a sponsorship program involving Backyard Sports® Rookie Rush, a football video game manufactured by Atari, Inc., global producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for interactive game platforms.
As part of the program, Atari’s Backyard Sports® Rookie Rush, will be exclusively named the official football video game of Pop Warner Football. Atari will also become an event sponsor of the 2010 and 2011 Pop Warner Super Bowls, held at the ESPN ™ World Wide Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida on December 4-11, 2010 and December 3-10, 2011.
Additional elements of the sponsorship program include:
· Pop Warner will include Atari in sampling, exhibit space, public service announcements, and signage at all nationally controlled Pop Warner events, including the annual Pop Warner Scholastic Tributes and Banquet and the Pop Warner Super Bowl.
· Pop Warner will provide Atari with exhibit space to conduct product demonstrations and distribute product information at the Pop Warner Super Bowl and sample at any other national and regional events, including coaching clinics, camps, retail events and regional championships.
· Pop Warner will dedicate $2,000 to its scholarship fund in the name of Atari, and will present this scholarship at the annual Pop Warner Scholastic Banquet.
· Atari will incorporate the Pop Warner logo on the Backyard Sports® Rookie Rush manual, packaging inserts for the 2010 season and in the game, on packaging and in the manual for the 2011 Product.
· Atari will provide a discounted coupon, complimentary contest entry ticket or product samples of Backyard Sports® Rookie Rush for Pop Warner football players at the Pop Warner Super Bowl and/or the Pop Warner
Scholastic Banquet.
· Atari will include Pop Warner and/or Pop Warner players in any football promotions, public relations efforts, media events and/or contests, and will feature Pop Warner athletes on its promotional materials and/or products as available.
In conjunction with the Atari sponsorship program, Pop Warner today announced the launch of a video contest for Pop Warner football teams. The Rookie Rush – Pop Warner Video Contest will allow Pop Warner football teams across the country to submit video entries to become the official 2011 Backyard Sports® Rookie Rush sponsored team. Users can vote on their favorite videos from November 11th to November 30th,, 2010, and videos will be judged by a panel based on originality, creativity and adaptability to Backyard Sports® Rookie Rush. The winning team will be announced at the Pop Warner Super Bowl and will receive uniforms, football equipment and recognition on both Pop Warner and Atari’s websites.
“In anticipation of the 2010 Pop Warner Super Bowl, we are excited to work with Atari to further increase engagement in youth football across the nation,” said Mary FitzGerald, COO of Pop Warner Little Scholars, Inc.. “We hope that the Rookie Rush – Pop Warner Video Contest will inspire camaraderie amongst Pop Warner teams and facilitate engagement in both the sport and the video game.”
“The family-friendly Backyard Sports series of video games are dedicated to teaching kids sportsmanship, inclusion and encouraging kids to play outdoors as well as enjoying video games,” says Jim Wilson, President of Atari. ”We share Pop Warner’s ideals and supporting the 2010 and 2011 Pop Warner Super Bowls is great fit for our brand.”