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Seattle (August 24, 2000) – First &
Goal Inc., the private developer of Washington's new Football/Soccer Stadium
and Exhibition Center, today announced they have hired internationally renowned
sports marketing and entertainment firm SFX to market
and sell the naming rights for the new home of the AFC West Champion
Seattle Seahawks. All revenue from the sale of the naming rights will be used
for stadium maintenance and upgrades, ensuring that the facility remains in top
condition for years to come.
"SFX, a proven leader in the industry, has the experience
necessary to help us craft a long-lasting and mutually beneficial sponsorship
package with a corporate partner," notes
Seattle Seahawks president Bob Whitsitt.
Working closely with First & Goal, SFX will
immediately begin the process of identifying potential corporate partners for
the future home of the Seahawks being built in Seattle.
Construction of the new world-class facility began last year, and will be
complete in time for the first game of the 2002 NFL season.
"Washington's new stadium is already considered a
very attractive sponsorship opportunity for any corporation given the
incredible fan base in Seattle, the mounting dominance of the Seahawks, and the
strength of the ownership team. One of the facets that makes this property so
appealing is the potential inclusion of the attached Exhibition Center, which
hosts an additional 100 plus events annually, to the naming rights package,"
said Russell Wallach, vice president of naming rights and new business
development, SFX. "Our goal is to
facilitate an enduring and productive corporate partnership that utilizes all
of the various resources afforded with being associated with the Seahawks."
The new state-of-the art open air stadium features ample
amenities such as suites, up to 72,000 seats (70 percent will be covered), extra
wide concourses, and unprecedented ADA accessibility. Besides housing the Seahawks, the new stadium
will be equipped to handle a major league soccer team, and will be an
appropriate venue to attract global events like World Cup Soccer and the Super
Bowl. The stadium is being built
adjacent to the Exhibition Hall that hosts over 100 events per year making this
property a year-round destination center.
The leader in naming
rights, SFX was responsible for NFL entitlement partnerships for 3Com Park in
San Francisco, Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, PSINet Stadium in Baltimore and
FedEx Field in Maryland.
About SFX
SFX,
a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications (NYSE: CCU), is the world's largest promoter,
producer and presenter of live entertainment events. SFX currently owns and/or operates 120 live
entertainment venues in the U.S., including 44 amphitheaters. In 1999, more than 60 million people attended
approximately 26,000 events promoted and/or produced by SFX, including: live music events; touring Broadway shows;
family entertainment shows; and specialized sports and motor sports shows. SFX is also a leading full-service sports
marketing and management company, specializing in the representation of athletes
and broadcasters, integrated event management, television
programming/production and marketing consulting services. SFX is headquartered in New York City. More information is available at www.sfx.com.
Clear
Channel Communications, Inc., is a global leader in the out-of home advertising
industry with radio and television stations and outdoor displays in 40
countries around the world. Including
announced transactions, Clear Channel operates over 900 radio and 19 television
stations in the United States and has equity interests in over 240 radio
stations internationally. Clear Channel
also operates more than 700,000 outdoor advertising displays, including
billboards, street furniture and transit panels across the world. The Company is headquartered in San Antonio,
Texas.
About First & Goal Inc.
Partial funding for the new stadium project is provided by
First & Goal Inc., a company established in 1997 by Paul G. Allen to manage
the development, construction and operation of the Washington State
Football/Soccer Stadium and Exhibition Center.
First & Goal is dedicated to working in partnership with the
community to build and operate a world-class facility that will serve as a
multipurpose public resource. To learn
more about the Washington State Football/Soccer Stadium and Exhibition Center
project, access the First & Goal, Inc. web site at: www.firstandgoal.com,
or the Public Stadium Authority web site at: www.stadium.org.
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For
More Information, Press Only:
Pete Pedersen, Edelman Public Relations Worldwide
(206) 223-1606
pete.pedersen@edelman.com
Rachel
Gary, SFX Sports Group
(201) 507-6087
rachel.gary@sfx.com
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