VIZIO Announces 6th Annual "TOP VALUE PERFORMER" Award Finalists

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For the past five seasons, VIZIO, America's HDTV Company, has recognized the professional football player whose on-field performance most significantly exceeded expectations and the value of their salary with the VIZIO TOP VALUE PERFORMER award.

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Partnering with Pro Football Insider Adam Schefter, VIZIO determined the TOP VALUE PERFORMER finalists based on their regular season performances, statistics, and the role they played in the success of their team. These factors are then measured against their base salaries to come up with the below finalists. Like these unique players, VIZIO has built its success as one of America's most-popular flat-panel HDTV brands, through its ability to deliver high-quality, high-performance televisions that truly maximize value for the consumer.

VIZIO is calling upon fans across the country to choose the winner by voting online between January 7 and January 21 at www.VIZIO.com/tvp. Every fan that votes is entered for a chance to win a 60" VIZIO Smart TV. Voting will close on January 21 at 11:59 pm, with the winner being announced in the days that follow.

The 2012 VIZIO TOP VALUE PERFORMER finalists include:

Eric Decker (@EricDecker87) – Wide Receiver, Denver

A two-sport athlete at the University of Minnesota, Eric Decker played Centerfield for the baseball team and was a stand-out Wide Receiver for Gophers football. Decker set a school record with 84 receptions in 2008, but a sprained foot limited his 2009 season to only eight games. Decker was drafted in the third round in 2010 and has since grown steadily into one of the league's best. With a 2012 base salary of $490,000, he tallied 85 receptions for 1,064 yards and 13 touchdowns, making him an ideal VIZIO TOP VALUE PERFORMER candidate.

Cecil Shorts III (@CecilShortsIII) – Wide Receiver, Jacksonville

A graduate of Mount Union, which competes at the Division III, non-scholarship level, Cecil Shorts is one of the very few professional athletes stuck paying off student loans. Shorts began his collegiate career playing quarterback, but switched to wide receiver his sophomore season, where he had nearly 1,500 yards receiving and more than 20 touchdowns. He was drafted by Jacksonville in 2011 in the fourth round, but only recorded two receptions for 12 yards with a touchdown. In 2012, earning $496,461 in base pay, Shorts totaled 979 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Stevan Ridley (@StevanRidley) – Running Back, New England

Drafted in the third round in 2011 out of LSU, Stevan Ridley played in all 16 games as a rookie and tallied 441 yards with a touchdown. This year, Ridley became the first New England running back since 2010 to reach the 1,000-yard mark on the ground, as he racked up 1,263 and found the endzone 10 times. Ridley is bringing home a much-deserved $509,250 base pay for the 2012 season. 

Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) – Quarterback, Seattle

Overshadowed by the Stanford star quarterback and 2011 Heisman Trophy winner out of Baylor, Russell Wilson was selected in the third round. Seattle is now seeing their value, as the rookie out of Wisconsin earned the starting job over last year's starter and the newly-acquired veteran quarterback from Green Bay. Earning $390,000 for his 2012 base salary, and completing 252 passes for 3,118 yards with 26 touchdowns, which tied the record for most passing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback, it's easy to see why Wilson is such a great VIZIO TOP VALUE PERFORMER candidate.

Alfred Morris (@Trey_Deuces) – Running Back, Washington    

Selected in the 2012 sixth round from Florida Atlantic University, Alfred Morris has teamed up with fellow rookie sensation and 2011 Heisman Trophy winner out of Baylor to help turn around a Washington team that has battled rollercoaster seasons in recent years. Morris finished the season with the 2^nd-most rushing yards in the league, totaling 1,613 and 13 touchdowns. His $390,000 base salary makes it easy to see why he's a VIZIO TOP VALUE PERFORMER candidate.  

Previous TVP winners include Jacksonville Quarterback David Garrard (2007), New England Quarterback Matt Cassel (2008), New York Wide Receiver Steve Smith (2009) and Buffalo Wide Receiver Stevie Johnson (2010). Last year's honors went to New York Wide Receiver Victor Cruz, who brought in the fifth-most receptions for the third-highest reception yards with more than 1500.

About VIZIO

VIZIO, Inc. is headquartered in Irvine, California. In Q2 2007, VIZIO skyrocketed to the top by becoming the #1 shipping brand of flat panel HDTVs in North America and in Q3 2007 became the first American brand in over a decade to lead in U.S. LCD HDTV shipments. Since 2007 VIZIO LCD HDTV shipments remain in the top ranks in the U.S. and were #1 for the total year in 2009 and 2010. In Q4 2012, VIZIO became America's #1 60+ inch HDTV company based on units sold. VIZIO is the #1 Sound Bar Company and is a top rated sound bar brand 2-years running by leading consumer publications. As VIZIO celebrates its 10-Year Anniversary, it remains committed to what it does best, focus on the consumer to deliver visionary products at a great value. VIZIO offers a broad range of award winning consumer electronics that now include PCs and mobility products.  VIZIO's products are found at Amazon, Best Buy, BJ's Wholesale, Costco Wholesale, Sam's Club, Target, Walmart and other retailers nationwide. VIZIO has won numerous awards including a #1 ranking in the Inc. 500 for Top Companies in Computers and Electronics and made the lists of Ad Age's Hottest Brands, CNET's Editor's Choice, CNET Best of CES 2011 - Television, Home Theater Magazine's Top Picks, Good Housekeeping's Best Big-Screens, PC World's Best Buy and Popular Mechanics Editor's Choice among many other prestigious honors. For more information, please call 888-VIZIOCE or visit www.VIZIO.com.

© 2013 VIZIO,Inc.  The V, VIZIO, Thin + Light and all names, logos and phrases are registered or unregistered trademarks of VIZIO, Inc.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.  All rights reserved.

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