Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman signs endorsement deal with CenturyLink

SEATTLE, Aug. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) today announced the company has secured an endorsement deal with Richard Sherman, a cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks. The one-year contract will position Sherman as the spokesperson for the CenturyLink High School Athlete of the Week program as well as for the company's upcoming marketing campaign hitting the Seattle market this fall.

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Sherman, a Stanford alumnus, was the fifth round draft pick for the Seahawks in the 2011 NFL draft and was named First Team All-Pro cornerback in 2012. Open about the challenges he overcame during his childhood, Sherman has been a strong advocate for educational opportunities for youth. His activism in this space, and the recent kick-off of his own non-profit Blanket Coverage - The Richard Sherman Family Foundation, aligns with CenturyLink's vision, which includes improving lives, as well as the company's belief in the importance of community involvement.

The CenturyLink High School Athlete of the Week program, presented in partnership with the Seattle Seahawks, launched Aug. 13. Each week, Sherman will feature a single Washington State high school fall sports athlete, recognizing him or her for outstanding performance both on and off the field.

"Richard Sherman has exemplified a deep commitment to the communities around him, especially with respect to children and education," said Rich Karlis, director of sponsorships for CenturyLink. "We are looking forward to partnering with Richard as we continue to strive to enrich educational experiences through programs like the High School Athlete of the Week."

"I couldn't be more excited to join forces with CenturyLink to help bring awareness around the incredibly talented youth we have here in the state of Washington," said Sherman. "The High School Athlete of the Week Program is a great way to not only shine the light on stellar young athletes, but also give kudos to the school systems that support their success."

Sherman will act as the weekly announcer for the Athlete of the Week series and will be part of CenturyLink's fall 2013 marketing campaign. He will appear in local Seattle market television and radio commercials, outdoor billboards, as well as online, print, and social media promotions. The campaign, focused on the theme of Home Field. Home Team. Home Internet., will highlight CenturyLink's High Speed Internet offering as an alternative to traditional cable. To view the campaign kick-off video, click here.

For more information about CenturyLink High School Athlete of the Week program, visit: http://shwks.com/week.

About CenturyLink
CenturyLink is the third largest telecommunications company in the United States and is recognized as a leader in the network services market by technology industry analyst firms. The company is a global leader in cloud infrastructure and hosted IT solutions for enterprise customers. CenturyLink provides data, voice and managed services in local, national and select international markets through its high-quality advanced fiber optic network and multiple data centers for businesses and consumers. The company also offers advanced entertainment services under the CenturyLink® Prism™ TV and DIRECTV brands. Headquartered in Monroe, La., CenturyLink is an S&P 500 company and is included among the Fortune 500 list of America's largest corporations. For more information, visit www.centurylink.com.

SOURCE CenturyLink, Inc.