Dr Pepper to Be Presenting Sponsor of The Coaches' Trophy, the Official Trophy Awarded at the National College Football Championship

Dr Pepper to Be Presenting Sponsor of The Coaches' Trophy, the Official Trophy Awarded at the National College Football Championship

Dr Pepper and ESPN Sign Premier Sponsorship of College Football Programming

PLANO, Texas and NEW YORK, Aug. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Dr Pepper today announced it has entered into an agreement with ESPN to be the presenting sponsor of the official trophy awarded at the 2010 Citi BCS National Championship Game. The Coaches' Trophy presented by Dr Pepper will also appear in various ESPN content throughout the upcoming season.

"Like college football, Dr Pepper is an unrivalled experience," said Tony Jacobs, vice president, marketing for Dr Pepper. "With more than 25 years of partnering with college football, Dr Pepper is proud to sponsor the most sought-after trophy in college sports."

The Coaches' Trophy presented by Dr Pepper will conduct a season-long tour, stopping at key games in conjunction with ESPN's College GameDay. At each stop, fans will have the opportunity to take a photo with the trophy and download it for free. The first appearance is at the Virginia Tech vs. Alabama game in Atlanta on Sept. 5, and the tour will continue until it is awarded at the Citi BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 7, 2010, at the Rose Bowl.

"With exciting players like Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford leading top rated teams in the battle for the national championship, this is sure to be a fantastic year for college football," said Ed Erhardt, president, ESPN Customer Marketing and Sales. "Dr Pepper has a long history with college football and we are thrilled they are increasing their involvement for what is sure to be an epic season."

In addition to the sponsorship of The Coaches' Trophy, Dr Pepper entered into an agreement as a premier sponsor of ESPN college football programming. The agreement includes weekly sponsorship of features within ESPN's top college football programming including College GameDay Built by the Home Depot, College Football Live, ESPNU studio shows and primetime games on ESPN and ABC. Dr Pepper will also receive multimedia-integrated exposure with on-air promotion, tune-ins and billboards on all ESPN networks and ABC as well as ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine and ESPN Radio.

"The American Football Coaches Association is proud to welcome Dr Pepper as the presenting sponsor of its national championship trophy, The Coaches' Trophy," said AFCA executive director Grant Teaff. "Dr Pepper has been a solid supporter of college football for a long time, and their association with The Coaches' Trophy, as well as the AFCA, can only enhance the sport and what it means to football fans throughout the world."

   About The Coaches' Trophy presented by Dr Pepper   --  The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) created the trophy in       1986.   --  This will be the 24th year the trophy has been awarded to the No. 1       team in the AFCA's final USA TODAY Coaches' Poll.   --  The winner of the Citi BCS National Championship Game automatically       receives the No. 1 ranking.   --  Each year, an artisan at Waterford  Crystal in Ireland spends three       months hand-crafting the $30,000 sparkling football that sits atop The       Coaches' Trophy.   --  The trophy weighs approximately 45 pounds and stands 34 inches tall,       and the crystal football itself weighs approximately eight pounds.   --  The winner of the Citi BCS National Championship Game receives The       Coaches' Trophy presented by Dr Pepper for permanent display on       campus.    --  Coaches whose teams have won the trophy include Joe Paterno, Bobby       Bowden, Urban Meyer, Mack Brown and Lou Holtz.     About Dr Pepper  

Dr Pepper, a brand of Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE:DPS) , is the oldest major soft drink in the United States. Since 1885, the 23 flavors of Dr Pepper have earned legions of fans that enjoy its unique, refreshing taste. The brand is available in Regular, Diet, Caffeine Free and Cherry varieties. DPS is a leading producer of flavored soft drinks, marketing Dr Pepper and 50-plus other beverage brands across North America and the Caribbean. For more information on Dr Pepper, visit www.drpepper.com or at www.drpeppersnapple.com.

About ESPN

ESPN, Inc. is the world's leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of six domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPNU), ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS and ESPNU HD simulcast services, ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (45 networks, syndication, radio, web sites), ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises, ESPN PPV, ESPN Zones (sports-themed restaurants), and other growing new businesses including ESPN360.com (Broadband), ESPN Mobile Properties, ESPN on Demand and ESPN Interactive. Based in Bristol, Ct., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: chris.legentil@ketchum.com

Source: Dr Pepper

CONTACT: Greg Dauphin of Ketchum, +1-646-935-4158, for Dr Pepper

Web Site: http://www.drpeppersnapple.com/
http://www.drpepper.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment