MAHWAH, NJ, July 11, 2008 -- Strengthening its affiliation with Major League Baseball® as its official High-Definition Television, Sharp Electronics announces today a nationwide consumer promotion that will begin at MLB’s All Star Week, July 11 – 15 and launching a retail blitz and multiple live activations in and around New York City during All-Star week.
Sharp’s “Winning Lineup” sweepstakes promotion will award over 1,000 prizes including trips, dozens of AQUOS® prizes and chances to meet MLB® players. Twelve Grand Prize winners will receive an AQUOS LCD TV, which could be “delivered” to the winner’s home by an MLB player. Consumers can register for the sweepstakes at www.sharpmlb.com. Complementing the exciting consumer promotion, Sharp is also announcing that the Major League Baseball Players Association, including12 MLB baseball players, are teaming with Sharp to promote and enhance Sharp’s MLB sponsorship through retail, consumer promotions and events throughout the 2008 baseball season. The roster of players includes a who’s who list of award-winning athletes, with 22 All-Star game appearances, 10 Gold Glove awards, nine Silver Slugger awards, three Hank Aaron awards, six World Series Championships, one National League Championship Series MVP, two American League Championship Series MVPs and one Rookie of the Year.
Leading the pack of MLB stars joining Sharp this year is slugger David Ortiz, who has represented Sharp over the past year. Mr. Ortiz will represent Sharp for national promotions and events throughout the year and appear in various elements of Sharp’s national advertising campaign. Joining Ortiz are MLB Players Hank Blalock, Prince Fielder, Carlos Gómez, Matt Holliday, Los Angeles Dodger Andruw Jones, Washington National Felipe López, New York Met John Maine, Florida Marlin Hanley Ramirez, New York Yankee Mariano Rivera, San Francisco Giant Jonathan Sanchez and Chicago Cub Ryan Theriot.
“Our relationship with Major League Baseball is helping us to reach an audience that appreciates the value of a high-quality HDTV Liquid Crystal Television,” said Judah Zeigler, associate vice president, Retail and Consumer Marketing, Sharp Electronics Corporation. “We are looking forward to working with some of baseball’s greats and enjoying even greater success as we expand the AQUOS brand and by providing our retailers with assets which will enable its them to consistently utilize the Sharp MLB and MLBPA relationships to enhance their sales and marketing efforts.”
Sharp is also offering a range of activities surrounding the MLB All-Star Game®. Sharp Street Teams will be covering New York City during All-Star week, handing out “Lineup Cards” to drive traffic to Sharpmlb.com and the Winning Lineup Sweepstakes. At the DHL FanFest inside the Javits Center, Sharp will take on two massive footprints. Visitors at Sharp’s “What’s your Call” area will try their hand as a virtual umpire calling strikes on a full HD AQUOS LCD TV. Multiple video gaming stations give consumers a chance to play baseball-themed video games on a full HD 1080p AQUOS LCD TV, while laptop computers in the area will allow people to register for the Winning Lineup Sweepstakes. Also at FanFest will be the 53-foot, traveling Sharp AQUOS> Experience mobile tour, inviting visitors inside to see a full AQUOS product lineup side by side. The double bump-out trailer travels throughout the country and features MLB programming in HD and interactive elements for baseball fans of all ages.
During the All Star Game®at Yankee Stadium, Sharp will be staging live photo booths to give fans a personalized Sharp-branded baseball card featuring their picture, and areas with computer kiosks that allow people to register to win in the Sharp Winning Lineup Sweepstakes. During and after the game Sharp will host an All-Star Party at Webster Hall in Manhattan. A private, live viewing party for Sharp retail partners, VIPs and MLB partners, the venue will be equipped with more than 100 Sharp AQUOS LCD TVs showing the MLB All-Star Game in high definition. Entertainment from local DJs and a live band will be highlighting the party that includes an appearance by an MLB Legend.
About AQUOS
All Sharp AQUOS models feature Sharp’s proprietary Advanced Super View (ASV) LCD panels with Black TFT low-reflection coating to dramatically reduce glare, so they can be placed virtually anywhere – even near windows, doors or other light sources. The units also offer 176-degree viewing angles, enabling consumers to watch TV clearly from virtually anywhere in the room, as well as extremely high contrast for blacker blacks and clear, vivid pictures, and high brightness with exceptional color clarity. The stylish designs fit seamlessly into any décor, and the detachable table stands and side or bottom speakers allow the televisions to be installed in a variety of design scenarios, including wall mounting.
For more information on Sharp’s full line of Liquid Crystal Televisions, contact Sharp Electronics Corporation, Sharp Plaza, Mahwah, NJ, 07495-1163 , or call 800-BE-SHARP.
About Major League Baseball Properties
The Major League Baseball Clubs formed Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) in 1966 as the Club’s agent for marketing and trademark licensing and protection. Major League Baseball Properties is responsible for managing consumer licensing activities, developing national advertising campaigns, cultivating sponsorship opportunities with major consumer brands and corporations, growing the game and the business of baseball outside the United States and creating national marketing programs in conjunction with Clubs, broadcast rightsholders and national sponsors. MLBP also operates a full-service video and audio production unit (Major League Baseball Productions), a publishing division and stock photo licensing agency, and manages logistics for the All-Star Game and World Series as well as all other special events. For more information on Major League Baseball, log on to www.MLB.com.
About the Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association (www.MLBPLAYERS.com) is the collective bargaining representative for all professional baseball players of the thirty Major League Baseball teams and serves as the exclusive group licensing agent for commercial and licensing activities involving active Major League baseball players. On behalf of its members, it operates the Players Choice licensing program and Players Choice Awards, which benefit the needy through the Major League Baseball Players Trust, a charitable foundation established and run entirely by Major League baseball players.
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