Fox Chase Cancer Center Named Presenting Sponsor and Beneficiary of 2005 Advanta Championships

    PHILADELPHIA, May 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The world renowned Fox Chase Cancer
 Center, the nation's first hospital solely devoted to cancer care, has been
 named presenting sponsor and beneficiary from selected tournament activities
 at the 2005 Advanta Championships, tournament officials announced today.  The
 Philadelphia-based Fox Chase Cancer Center is an independent, not-for-profit
 research institution devoted to improving cancer detection, treatment and
 prevention.  Fox Chase has been involved in area tennis for years with its
 support of World TeamTennis' Philadelphia Freedoms.
     The tournament, which runs Oct. 31-Nov. 6 at the Pavilion at Villanova
 University, traditionally showcases some of the biggest names in women's
 tennis.  Lindsay Davenport, the world's top ranked player, 2004 Wimbledon
 Champion Maria Sharapova and former world No. 1 Venus Williams have entered
 the 2005 Advanta Championships presented by Fox Chase Cancer Center.
     "We're pleased to have Fox Chase Cancer Center as the presenting sponsor
 of the Advanta Championships," explained Dennis Alter, Chairman and CEO of
 Advanta.  "Fox Chase has served families in the Delaware Valley for more than
 a hundred years.  Today, its expertise in cancer care and research is
 recognized by experts the world over.  We are proud to have this treasure in
 our backyard."
     "Fox Chase Cancer Center is pleased to be the presenting sponsor of this
 year's 2005 Advanta Championships," said Christine Wilson, vice president of
 communications at Fox Chase.  "We feel it's important to be a part of
 activities that promote healthy living and inspire excellence -- qualities
 shared by Advanta and Fox Chase.  We salute Advanta for its work with the
 young and young at heart, and we look forward to another world-class
 tournament this fall."
     Individual tickets for the Advanta Championships presented by Fox Chase
 Cancer Center are on sale at 866-TENNIS-5 (866-836-6475) or
 http://www.advantachampionships.com.  Individual session tickets range from
 $15 to $65.
     Box seat VIP packages, priced from $235-$2,050, are available by calling
 215-591-0800.  The VIP Packages include special discount offers to fans that
 purchase Diamond, Gold and Platinum packages before July 1.
     In 2004, Amelie Mauresmo captured her second consecutive Advanta
 Championship with a three-set win over Vera Zvonareva.  Hometown favorite Lisa
 Raymond of Wayne, Pa., teamed with Australian Alicia Molik to win her fifth
 Advanta Championships doubles title last year.
     The Advanta Championships presented by Fox Chase Cancer Center, in
 addition to awarding a $585,000 prize fund, is the final opportunity for
 players to qualify for the season-ending tour championships in Los Angeles,
 the following week.  The 2005 Advanta Championships begin on Monday, Oct. 31,
 with the first round of main draw competition and conclude with the finals on
 Sunday, Nov. 6.  The qualifying tournament runs Oct. 28-30 at the Healthplex
 Sports Club in Springfield, Pa.
 
     Advanta is the title sponsor of the 2005 Advanta Championships and the Fox
 Chase Cancer Center is the presenting sponsor.  Host sponsors of the event are
 Porsche, Macy's, NBC 10 (WCAU-TV), WolfBlock and CN8.  Associate sponsors
 include Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, E-Tech Solutions, MasterCard, Trinity Capital
 Advisors, First Data, McDonald's, Frog Commissary and Fastsigns of Delaware.
     The tournament is managed by IMG, the world's oldest and largest sports
 marketing organization.
 
     About ADVANTA:
     Advanta focuses on the small business market and related community,
 providing funding and support to the nation's small businesses and business
 professionals through innovative products and services.  Advanta is one of the
 nation's largest issuers (through Advanta Bank Corp.) of MasterCard business
 credit cards to small businesses.  Since 1951, Advanta has pioneered many of
 the marketing techniques common in the financial services industry today,
 including remote lending and direct mail, affinity and relationship marketing.
     Advanta is a long-time supporter of the tennis community and youth fitness
 activities.  Advanta is the presenting sponsor of the World TeamTennis Pro
 League and official business credit card of WTT.  In addition to their
 involvement with WTT and the "Ready, Set, Racquet!" program, which provides
 free racquets to children, Advanta sponsors the Advanta Championships, a WTA
 Tour event in Philadelphia.  Advanta continues to be involved in numerous
 tennis charities including WTT Smash Hits, Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and
 Education, and Philadelphia Wheelchair Tennis programs.  Learn more about
 Advanta at http://www.advanta.com.
 
     About FOX CHASE CANCER CENTER:
     Fox Chase Cancer Center was founded in 1904 in Philadelphia, Pa. as the
 nation's first cancer hospital.  In 1974, Fox Chase became one of the first
 institutions designated as a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer
 Center.  Fox Chase conducts basic, clinical, population and translational
 research; programs of prevention, detection and treatment of cancer; and
 community outreach.  For more information about Fox Chase activities, visit
 the Center's web site at http://www.fccc.edu or call 1-888-FOX CHASE.
 
      Media Contacts:
      Rosie Crews, The GEM Group             PH: 817.684.0366
                                              rcrews@gemgroup.com
      Troy Ergenbright, The GEM Group        PH: 303.237.0616
                                              tergenbright@gemgroup.com
      Karen Mallet, Fox Chase Cancer Center  PH: 215.728.2700
                                              karen.mallet@fccc.edu
 
 

SOURCE  Fox Chase Cancer Center