Kodak Signs Sponsorship Agreement With Madison Square Garden

Business Wire, Oct 28, 1998

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BW SportsWire)--Oct. 28--Eastman Kodak Company and Madison Square Garden have entered into a wide-ranging sponsorship agreement, it was announced today by Joe Gangone, Madison Square Garden Networks Senior Vice-President, Advertising Sales, and Gerald Wallner, Kodak's Director of Corporate Sponsorships, Consumer Imaging.

The comprehensive agreement calls for Kodak to have a leading sponsorship position at Madison Square Garden events, including New York Rangers hockey games, New York Knicks basketball games, and major musical stage shows such as "A Christmas Carol," "Sesame Street," and "The Wizard of Oz."

The pact also makes Kodak the title sponsor of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Holiday Festival basketball tournament, a sponsor of the "Radio City Christmas Spectacular," and a sponsor of the Behind-the-Scenes Tour of Madison Square Garden.

The agreement gives Kodak exclusive rights to promote its film, many lines of consumer cameras, digital imaging products, video tape, and batteries through these Madison Square Garden venues.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to link our Kodak brand -- one of the most famous in the world -- with the most famous sports arena in the world," Wallner said. "Millions of people in the important New York City market will be exposed to the Kodak brand through signage and other forms of media."

"We are pleased about establishing a relationship with Kodak," said Gangone. "This agreement offers varied sponsorship opportunities to them through the various Madison Square Garden entities. For instance, the collegiate basketball tournament, a Madison Square Garden tradition for 45 years, now will be known as the Kodak ECAC Holiday Festival."

In addition, Kodak signs will appear at rinkside for home Rangers hockey games and at courtside for home Knicks basketball games. Both the Rangers and the Knicks drew nearly one million fans last year, and millions more watched the games of both teams on television.

Permanent Kodak signs at either end of the arena will be visible for all events, and Kodak signage also will be visible in the 5,600-seat Theater at Madison Square Garden where musicals and other events are held.

Kodak also will have print ads in the Rangers and Knicks yearbook and game programs.

The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, featuring the world-famous Radio City Rockettes, celebrates its 65th anniversary season this year. More than 1.1 million people from all 50 states and throughout the world are expected to attend the show at Radio City Music Hall from November 6, 1998, to January 3, 1999, making it the largest-drawing live show in America.

Cablevision Systems Corporation owns a controlling interest in the Madison Square Garden Properties, which includes MSG Network, FOX Sports New York, the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL), the New York Liberty (WNBA), and the Madison Square Garden arena complex, located in the heart of the New York metropolitan area.

Editor's Note: For additional information about Kodak, visit our web site on the Internet at: www.kodak.com/