Two 'Fords' Play Key Roles in 2010 NCAA Men's Frozen Four

DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --

• Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford will serve as co-chairman of the local organizing committee for the 2010 NCAA® Men's Frozen Four®, which will be held April 8-10 at Ford Field in Detroit

• The Ford Transit Connect, recently named North American Truck of the Year, will be the official vehicle of the Frozen Four, serving as a mobile billboard for the event

• The Transit Connect will travel to nearly a dozen Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) games and the conference championship at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena in March before heading to Ford Field in April for the Frozen Four championship event

Two notable Fords will play prominent roles in the 2010 NCAA Men's Frozen Four, which will be held April 8-10 at Ford Field in Detroit.  

Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford will serve as co-chairman of the Detroit Local Organizing Committee for the Frozen Four. And the Ford Transit Connect, recently named North American Truck of the Year, will serve as the official vehicle for the prestigious NCAA championship event.  

Bill Ford co-chairs Detroit Local Organizing Committee for NCAA Men's Frozen Four

In his role as co-chairman, Ford will oversee Detroit Local Organizing Committee activities and fundraising, as well as host efforts for a series of public events, including a FanFest, open practices and Frozen Four Friday, which will feature exciting skills challenges involving the championship team players, autograph sessions and NCAA Division 1 Men's Ice Hockey award announcements.  

"We believe that with the leadership of Bill Ford in the role of co-chairman, the 2010 Frozen Four at Ford Field will be a tremendous success," said Tom Anastos, commissioner, CCHA. "Not only is he an extremely successful and visionary businessman and committed civic leader, he also is a great sportsman and passionate hockey fan who loves the game of hockey and even plays the game himself."  

Ford and fellow co-chairman Christopher Ilitch announced details of upcoming Frozen Four activities at Detroit's Campus Martius Park today. The two avid ice hockey fans and longtime players skated onto the ice wearing special Frozen Four hockey sweaters with Ford No. 20 and Ilitch No. 10 (displaying "2010" when photographed side by side) on the backs of their jerseys. They also took turns skating and stick-handling on the ice with more than 25 local youth players.

Ford Transit Connect: Official vehicle of the NCAA Men's Frozen Four

As the official vehicle of the Frozen Four, the Ford Transit Connect will serve as a "billboard on wheels" for the event, traveling to nearly a dozen CCHA games and the conference championship at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena in March before returning to Ford Field for the Frozen Four Championship in April.

"We were looking for a head-turning vehicle to use for mobile promotion of our Championship," said Anastos. "The Transit Connect's unique look, great utility, excellent fuel mileage and recent distinction as the 2010 North American Truck of the Year make it the perfect choice."

The Transit Connect is decaled with a Frozen Four logo and ticket information, the CCHA crest and symbols of the 12 college teams participating in the CCHA tournament. In addition to promotion, the vehicle will be used to transport hockey gear to and from various locations.  

"The Transit Connect's large side panels make it an ideal promotional tool for the Frozen Four," said Damoni Hurt, Transit Connect marketing manager. "It also is an excellent utility vehicle, with more than 135 cubic feet of cargo space and up to 1,600 pounds of cargo-carrying capacity. And it's more fuel efficient than other cargo vans, making it a cost-effective choice for road trips."  

Powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 engine with a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission, the Transit Connect offers double the fuel economy of full-size vans, delivering an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.  

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 200,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company