M&M'S® And M&M'S World® Team Up With WFAN Sports Radio For a Live Broadcast Extravaganza

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., Jan. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- M&M'S World Times Square is poised to be the premier New York City shopping and sports destination during the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII.  The store, home to M&M'S Chocolate Candies and branded merchandise, plans to open its doors to millions of shoppers, as well as the world's first 24-hour all-sports radio station – WFAN – which will broadcast live for more than 12 hours each day, Monday, Jan. 27 through Friday, Jan. 31.

Local fans and store visitors will be able to witness live broadcasts from Boomer & Carton, Benigno & Roberts, and Mike Francesa, complete with all of their big name athlete and celebrity guests when the store opens at 9:00 a.m. Boomer & Carton will begin their show at 6:00 a.m., capturing all the excitement as the city awakens each morning.

"Hosting Super Bowl XLVIII in the New York and New Jersey region, right in our back yard, is an amazing opportunity and we're happy to help bring a pretty sweet experience to our fans, including the WFAN broadcasts and a presence at Super Bowl Boulevard," said Seth Klugherz, Senior Director, M&M'S Chocolate Candies. "The personalities on WFAN are one of a kind, just like our 2014 Super Bowl XLVIII commercial star Yellow.  We plan to celebrate America's Favorite Nut, as well as the fact that only 1 in 100 peanuts are lucky enough to find their way into a bag of M&M'S Peanut, all Super Bowl XLVIII week inside M&M'S World."

WFAN will set-up shop on the second floor of the world famous store for the following three programs:

• Boomer & Carton – Broadcast on-air and online from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. ET and simulcast on CBS Sports Network, the show features former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason and radio veteran Craig Carton discussing New York sports talk with sports icons, league personnel, and a variety of national celebrities from the entertainment and music industries.
• Benigno & Roberts – Hosted by Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts, the sports talk show airs from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET and focuses on the biggest games and current sports topics, plus calls from listeners and interviews with guests.
• Mike's On: Francesa on the FAN – The nation's top-rated sports personality and Marconi award-winner Mike Francesa is featured from 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. ET, challenging listeners and guests on a daily basis on the hottest sports topics in New York and around the nation.  The program is also available for viewing on the YES Network.

"We're excited for the opportunity to get up-close with our listeners and fans from around the world at M&M'S World during the most exciting week in all of sports," said Mark Chernoff, WFAN Program Director and Vice President of Sports Programming, CBS RADIO.

Visitors to M&M'S World will also be able to shop special game day merchandise on the store's second floor. The store will feature items with the popular Red and Yellow M&M'S characters, including travel tumblers, stadium blankets, drawstring backpacks and more.

"M&M'S World offers such a unique range of products – everyone who steps foot in the store will find something to remind them of their trip to the New York and New Jersey region for Super Bowl XLVIII," said Glen Tetreault, Director of Store Operations, Mars Retail Group. "We're looking forward to the exciting opportunity for our guests to engage with the WFAN hosts and guests who will be in our store for the entire week."

To learn more about the brands' Super Bowl XLVIII activities, including special fan giveaways, visit www.facebook.com/mms, www.facebook.com/mmsworld or www.facebook.com/wfan660. 

About Mars Chocolate North America

In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company.  In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY® bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a "mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders" – this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 72,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.

Mars brands include: Petcare – PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, KITEKAT®, BANFIELD® Pet Hospital and NUTRO®; Chocolate – M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, DOVE®, GALAXY®, MARS®, MILKY WAY® and TWIX®; Wrigley – DOUBLEMINT®, EXTRA®, ORBIT® and 5™ chewing gums, SKITTLES® and STARBURST® candies, and ALTOIDS® AND LIFESAVERS® mints.  Food – UNCLE BEN'S®, DOLMIO®, EBLY®, MASTERFOODS®, SEEDS OF CHANGE® and ROYCO®; Drinks – ALTERRA COFFEE ROASTERS™, THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY™, KLIX® and FLAVIA®; Symbioscience – COCOAVIA™ and WISDOM PANEL™.

For more information, please visit www.mars.com.  Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars, linkedin.com/company/mars

About M&M'S World

Offering a wide range of M&M'S Chocolate Candies and merchandise, the M&M'S WORLD® stores reflect the huge popularity of M&M'S®, the world's most popular confectionery brand.  The stores' merchandise includes apparel, kitchenware, bedding, jewelry, and glassware, as well as seasonal items and specially-designed M&M'S® branded items that reflect the personalities of the cities -- Las Vegas, New York City, Orlando, Henderson (Nevada), and London -- where the stores are located. 

About WFAN Sports Radio

CBS RADIO's WFAN-AM/FM is the original and longest running sports station in the nation, celebrating its 26th anniversary this past July.  With more listeners than any other station of its kind, The FAN provides audiences across the tri-state area with live and local programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is home to award-winning personalities Mike Francesa, Boomer Esiason, Craig Carton, Joe Benigno, Evan Roberts and Steve Somers. The station is the flagship broadcast home for several area sports teams, including the New York Giants, New York Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, and New Jersey Devils.  Listen to WFAN on-air in New York at 66AM or 101.9FM, online at www.wfan.com and via the Radio.com app for a variety of mobile devices.

SOURCE Mars Chocolate North America