Boston College Athletics Teams Up with Fenway Sports Group

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A F BASKIN-ROBBINS BASKIN-ROBBINS Kindergartner Marilyn Rojas dives into a scoop of ice cream at Baskin-Robbins in anticipation of the upcoming 31 Cent Scoop Night event. On May 2, Baskin-Robbins will be hosting 31 Cent Scoop Night nationwide and will ...

    BOSTON, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston College today announced it has
 selected Fenway Sports Group (FSG) to develop a year-round collegiate sports
 marketing and multi-media partnership program aimed at showcasing the strength
 and competitiveness of BC Athletics and its upcoming membership into the
 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
     (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050217/NETH036 )
     The partnership will focus on acquiring new marketing agreements, driving
 merchandise sales, building corporate sponsorships and new regional media
 partners, while expanding the fan base of Boston College Athletics.
     Fenway Sports Group, a broad-based sports marketing company and subsidiary
 of New England Sports Ventures (owners of the Boston Red Sox and New England
 Sports Network), will begin aggressively pursuing sponsorship, marketing and
 media opportunities for Boston College Athletics as it prepares for its
 official July 1, 2005 entrance into the Atlantic Coast Conference, the
 country's premier college athletic league.
     Under the leadership of Athletics Director Gene DeFilippo, Boston College
 is preparing its student-athletes to compete at the highest level.
     "As we prepare to enter the ACC, we recognize that this is a tremendous
 opportunity to expand our business and marketing activities around our
 athletic programs," DeFilippo said.  "Participation in the ACC will require us
 to be much more aggressive in pursuing corporate opportunities.  We selected
 FSG because we feel they are uniquely qualified to help us achieve our goals
 and reach new heights."
     The partnership is the first of its kind for Fenway Sports Group, which
 was launched just a year ago.
     "Our new partnership with Boston College is a significant step forward for
 FSG's development as we approach our first birthday," said John W. Henry,
 Principal Owner for FSG's parent New England Sports Ventures.  "It is a
 privilege for us to be selected to lead the school's athletic marketing
 efforts at such an important and exciting time."
     Mike Dee, president of Fenway Sports Group, said that Boston College's
 great success has created pent-up demand and tremendous potential.
     "As BC takes its athletics program to the next level, it is a great
 opportunity to introduce the ACC to the Boston and New England business
 communities," said Dee.  "Beginning day one, our goal will be to introduce
 prospective new corporate partners and advertisers to the rich history of BC
 Athletics and the competitive strength of the ACC.  This partnership will
 present an opportunity to capitalize on league sponsorships, which also will
 be a primary focus of initial efforts.  The chance to secure radio rights for
 football, basketball, and hockey also is a key element of this relationship --
 and is a strategic building block to construct a tier-one business plan for
 the school's athletics program."
     Starting with the 2005-06 academic year, BC will share the playing field
 with eleven other schools including: Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia
 Tech, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, University of Virginia,
 Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest.  The Atlantic Coast Conference was founded on
 May 8, 1953, at the Sedgefield Inn near Greensboro, N.C.  Boston College
 accepted an invitation to join the league, as its 12th member, on October 17,
 2003.
     "BC will boost our East coast presence within the League and make it a
 truly Atlantic Coast Conference from New England to Florida," said John
 Swofford, Commissioner of the ACC.  "And I know FSG will go a long way in
 making that presence known."
 
     ABOUT FENWAY SPORTS GROUP (FSG):
     FSG, a subsidiary of New England Sports Ventures, which owns the Boston
 Red Sox and the New England Sports Network (NESN), is a broad-based sports
 marketing company focused on a wide range of representation, sponsorships,
 marketing and broadcasting opportunities.  For more information please visit
 http://www.fenwaysportsgroup.com/
 
     ABOUT BOSTON COLLEGE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT:
     Consistent with the University as a whole, the Athletics Department is
 committed to the quest for excellence; to the personal formation of our
 undergraduate, graduate, & professional students; and to the pursuit of a just
 society.  The University's dedication to excellence is an integral part of the
 Athletics Department's goals and objectives and a primary consideration in our
 service to students and the Boston College community.  In keeping with our
 tradition as a Catholic and Jesuit university, rooted in a belief that seeks
 God in all things, especially human activity, the Boston College Athletics
 Department offers a broad-based program of intercollegiate athletics, as well
 as intramural, recreation, and club sport opportunities.  Through these
 activities, the Athletics Department provides an educational experience that
 promotes the development of the whole person intellectually, physically,
 socially, and spiritually.  Through its offerings, the Athletics Department
 plays an integral part in the personal formation and development of students,
 preparing them for citizenship, service, and leadership.  The University's
 pursuit of a just society is fostered through the Athletics Department's
 commitment to the highest standards of integrity, ethics, and honesty.  The
 Athletics Department promotes the principles of sportsmanship, fair play, and
 fiscal responsibility in compliance with University, Conference, and NCAA
 policies.  For more information please visit
 http://bceagles.collegesports.com/
 
 

SOURCE  Boston College