Werner Ladder Is the Official Sponsor of ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike in the Morning Sheets of Integrity Brackets Challenge and Climb to the Top Feature

GREENVILLE, Pa., March 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Each year Mike and Mike compete against one another to see who can choose the most accurate bracket. Werner Co. is once again sponsoring the Sheets of Integrity Challenge, and this year the stakes are higher than ever!

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090330/PH90744 )

It will take some fancy footwork for either Mike Greenberg or Mike Golic to be the winner and avoid facing the challenging consequences. Soon after the tournament ends, the loser will have to take his own "big dance" with a professional female dancer from ABC's Dancing with the Stars.

With only one day of practice with his partner, the loser will don his DWTS-themed costume and dance with his pro partner in front of a live audience at ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut. ESPN employee-musicians will provide the music, while past DWTS participants and ESPN personalities will judge the losing Mike's dancing debut.

"This is shaping up to be the best and most exciting Werner Sheets of Integrity Challenge to date," said Chris Filardi, Vice President of Marketing for Werner.  "Our partnership with ESPN has been extremely rewarding for Werner Ladder. It's a fun and entertaining competition and all fans of the game really enjoy the Challenge. Regardless of who wins, either Mike will put on a terrific show...except that one will be laughing while the other is panicking."

This 9th year of the Challenge will be especially interesting given the major upsets in the tournament bracket. Every year the Challenge and the pay-off become more extreme for Mike and Mike, each of whom has won four times. This year will be the official tie-breaker!

Fans were also challenged to fill out their own brackets to compete against Mike & Mike. One lucky winner with the best bracket will receive a replica of the official NCAA® 9' Werner ladder and $500 cash.

In addition, throughout the month of March ESPN personalities have been highlighting the trials and tribulations of this year's tournament in the Werner "Climb to the Top" feature.  Each day on Mike and Mike, The Herd with Colin Cowherd or The Doug Gottlieb Show they discuss which teams are rising up in the brackets and which are falling out. "The Climb to the Top" will culminate with the last team climbing the Official Ladder of the NCAA® Basketball Championship and cutting down the net as the winner of the original "Big Dance".

Filardi says, "Werner's commitment to professional contractors who rise above the rest every day is widely recognized, and with our NCAA® sponsorship, we can also celebrate and honor the dedication and hard work of the NCAA® teams, student-athletes and coaches."

ABOUT WERNER CO.  Werner Co. is the official ladder of the NCAA® Basketball Championship and a world leader in the manufacturing and distribution of ladders, climbing equipment, ladder accessories and fall protection products under Werner, Green Bull, Keller and other licensed brands. Werner is North America's #1 brand in ladders and has built a reputation of excellence in safety for professionals and consumers. Backed by over 60 years of product innovation, Werner ladders are recognized for their durability and quality. All Werner ladders meet or exceed applicable Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) codes and standards for strength and structural integrity. Werner is headquartered in Greenville, Pennsylvania. For more information about Werner Co., visit www.wernerco.com.

ABOUT ESPN RADIO's Mike and Mike in the Morning: ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike in the Morning is seen or heard by more than 13 million people each week. Mike & Mike airs on 350 stations nationwide (6-10 a.m. ET M-F), and is aired on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio. All four hours of the show are simulcast on ESPN2, reaching more than 99 million homes. Mike & Mike can also be heard live on ESPNRadio.com and The Best of Mike & Mike podcast (available on iTunes) averages 1.8 million downloads per month. 

About the NCAA®: The NCAA® is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletics opportunities for more than 380,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA® championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes. 

SOURCE Werner Co.