Most “Amazing” Fan Base Could Win $100,000 for Their School 

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New York, NY – As the field in Men’s College Basketball narrows to 16 teams, ESPN is teaming up with HP to challenge fans of the remaining schools to prove that their school has the most spirited, most dedicated, most “Amazing” fans. 

The college or university generating the most participation in the “Amazing 16” contest will win a contribution of $100,000 in cash and technology products for their school.  ESPN Anchor Scott Van Pelt will offer his insights throughout the contest, which launches on March 23. 

“There is nothing like this time of the year. The passion of college hoops captivates the attention of entire country. At the root of it all are the fans who live and die with their team. The people who travel wherever the itinerary demands, over three weekends if necessary, to see if their team wins a crystal ball,” said Van Pelt.  “I’ve been on both sides of the shining moments, most recently the wrong end of a buzzer beater. I’m still not quite out of the fog…sometimes I wish I weren’t as passionate as I am and I ask a simple question: how much does your team mean to you?” 

“In line with the spirit of college basketball, HP is a company that celebrates ‘doers’ regardless of where they come from,” said Michael Mendenhall, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, HP.  “The Amazing 16 contest will allow people to engage with the tournament in a fun, dynamic way, and will reward those fans that do the most for their teams.” 

Fans can participate in the contest at a custom web site hosted by ESPN.com that features an “Amazing 16” bracket based on the final 16 teams remaining.  To prove what fan base is most amazing, supporters will be asked to contribute to a fan page that represents their school, and can earn points on behalf of that school by uploading fan photos, posting message, and answering poll questions. 

The “Amazing 16” contest is a part of HP’s “Let’s Do Amazing” campaign, which celebrates the amazing things people do with technology in collaboration with the world’s largest technology company. 

The top eight amazing fan bases will advance to a second round on March 27, regardless of the performance of their corresponding basketball team.  The top four teams will be announced on March 29 and the two finalists will be named on April 4.  Participants supporting those two teams will then compete to win the grand prize, a contribution valued at $100,000 made by HP to the final round school receiving the most participant points. 

The 16 schools eligible for the “Amazing 16” contest include:

Baylor                                       Ohio State

Butler                                        Purdue

Cornell                                      St. Mary’s

Duke                                        Syracuse

Kansas State                            Tennessee

Kentucky                                  West Virginia

Michigan State                          Washington

Northern Iowa                            Xavier 

ESPN, Inc. is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of six domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Classic & ESPN Deportes), ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU & ESPNEWS HD simulcast services, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (46 networks, syndication, radio, web sites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN PPV, ESPN Zones (sports-themed restaurants), and other growing new businesses including ESPN360.com (Broadband, to be re-named ESPN3.com April 4), ESPN Mobile Properties, ESPN on Demand and ESPN Interactive.  Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.  The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN. 

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