Hercules Tires is Title Sponsor of #AEPlayoffs 2/11/2020 10:00:00 AM BOSTON – The America East Conference announced today that Hercules Tires, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Tire Distributors, one of the largest independent suppliers of tires in North America, will be the title sponsor of the America East Men’s and Women’s Basketball Playoffs. The multi-year agreement marks the largest sponsorship agreement in America East history. In addition, Hercules Tires will have an integrated marketing presence throughout the year, allowing the brand to connect with America East alumni, fans, students, and employees at all conference championship events. “We’re excited to enter into an official partnership with the America East Conference,” said Hercules Tires Senior VP, Joshua Simpson. “This sponsorship gives us a national platform to grow our brand visibility by introducing it at a grassroots level to these fans. By having the ability to have an on-site presence at events throughout the year we’ll have the opportunity to create an authentic relationship and hopefully be top of mind when it’s time to make a tire purchase.” “We are extremely excited to welcome Hercules Tires as the title sponsor of our basketball playoffs,” said America East Commissioner, Amy Huchthausen. “Attaching a title sponsor to an event elevates its stature and Hercules Tires’ national brand will help expose the #AEPlayoffs to a wider audience.” The 2020 Hercules Tires America East Men’s & Women’s Basketball Playoffs will look to build off last year’s success that saw the most fans attend #AEHoops tournament games in three years. The playoffs will start March 4 with women’s quarterfinal action. The men’s quarterfinals take place on March 7 with the semifinals on March 8 (women) and March 10 (men). The Hercules Tires America East Women’s Basketball Championship Game will be March 13 with the men’s on March 14. Both will be nationally televised, on ESPNU and ESPN2, respectively. “Although Hercules Tires has been around since 1952 we are continuously working to grow brand awareness with our target audience, and felt this partnership was great way to support our initiatives,”said Hercules Director of Marketing Nakia Medlin. “Not only do we get to engage with passionate college basketball fans during championship season this unique partnership allows us to integrate our brand and engage with these colleges and universities throughout the year to build a connection with not only the young fan base, but also alumni, faculty and the local community as well.” The broad-based, multifaceted agreement was negotiated by the America East’s multi-media rights partner Van Wagner. To follow Hercules Tires activations, as well as America East men’s and women’s basketball be sure to visit @AEHoopsNews and @HerculesTires on Twitter and Instagram. About Hercules Tires Hercules Tires is widely recognized as the industry's premier value brand with a comprehensive selection of passenger, UHP, light truck, medium truck and specialty tires. Since 1952, independent tire dealers and distributors have trusted Hercules to deliver outstanding quality, exceptional support, and unsurpassed value. Hercules is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Tire Distributors, Inc. American Tire Distributors is one of the largest independent suppliers of tires in the North American replacement tire market. The company offers an unsurpassed breadth and depth of inventory, frequent delivery and value-added services to approximately 80,000 customers across the U.S. and Canada. About the America East Conference The America East provides its member schools and their athletic programs a platform upon which student-athletes can achieve both collegiate and life success through the promotion and nurturing of athletic excellence, academic achievement and leadership, on and off the field. One of the most comprehensive Division I conferences in the country and progressive in its approach to its more than 3,400 student-athletes, America East recognizes champions in each of its 18 sports and consists of members spanning from the Mid-Atlantic to Northeast regions of the United States including: University at Albany, Binghamton University, University of Hartford, University of Maine, UMBC, UMass Lowell, University of New Hampshire, Stony Brook University and University of Vermont. For more information, visit AmericaEast.com or follow the America East Conference on Twitter @AmericaEast. About Van Wagner Van Wagner, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Van Wagner Group LLC, creates, advises, and sells on behalf of world-class teams, leagues, brands, properties, and colleges. An innovator in the sports and media business, Van Wagner is a global leader in high-impact broadcast visible signage throughout the MLB, NBA, NCAA, and the highest levels of international soccer, sponsorships sales, premium ticketing, college multi-media rights, and in-venue content production at the world’s biggest sporting events. www.vanwagner.com