Maria Sharapova Signs Lifetime Endorsement Deal with Prince
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Zach Perles
One Advantage Court
Bordentown,
609-291-5932
zperles@princesports.com
08/28/06 - Bordentown, NJ--Prince Sports announced today that Maria Sharapova, the 2004 Wimbledon Champion and the most recognized face in professional women’s sports, has signed a lifetime endorsement agreement that extends their relationship together through her playing career and beyond.
Sharapova, who has been a member of the Prince Family since she was nine, will be the face of the brand through a unique, multifaceted marketing program that includes advertising, signature product lines, junior tennis programs, global grassroots efforts and grow-the-game initiatives.
“Prince has been a part of my tennis family and has supported me since I was a junior player,” Sharapova said. “The one constant for me has been Prince. All of these years, when I have walked on the court, Prince has been there with me.”
When asked about the relationship with Maria, Prince Chairman and CEO George Napier said, "Maria has contributed immensely to raising the Prince Brand image globally; her work ethic, focus and desire to win are characteristics we both share and are passionate about. She is an integral member of our team and we look forward to continuing to develop leading edge products and technologies that will support her goal to be the best player in the world."
Since her arrival at the IMG/Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy at the age of nine, Maria has been a Prince player. She developed her power game with popular racquets including the Triple Threat Hornet and Turbo Shark. In January 2006, she upgraded to O3, a unique technology which provides an unprecedented combination of a larger sweet spot in a faster frame. Maria is playing the O3 White, the #1 selling racquet in the U.S.
“IMG congratulates Maria, and we are proud to be part of this milestone campaign in branding and marketing,” said Ted Forstmann, IMG Chairman and CEO. “Prince and Maria have proven to be a great team for years, and we’re delighted that this winning combination will continue for many years to come.”
About Maria Sharapova
Born on April 19, 1987, in Siberia, Russia, Maria Sharapova moved to the United States to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. She turned professional in 2001, and has won 12 WTA singles titles, including Wimbledon in 2004. Sharapova also has four finals and 16 semifinal appearances, including the Australian Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon in 2005. At the age of 18, Sharapova was ranked No. 1 in the world, and this season, she has been consistently ranked in the top 5. For more information, please visit www.mariasharapova.com.
About Prince Sports
Prince Sports, Inc., based in New Jersey, is a recognized leader in game-improvement technologies and engineering-based high-performance sports equipment. Since 1970, Prince and Ektelon have revolutionized tennis, squash and racquetball with innovations including “Oversize,” “Longbody” and “Extender” racquet technologies, Natural Foot Shape footwear technology, Synthetic Gut String and Electronic Ball Machines. In 2005, Prince introduced O3, another breakthrough that features an expanded sweet spot (up to 54 percent) and increased racquet speed, a combination only possible with O3 Technology. In 2006, Prince introduces M Series footwear with Precision Tube Technology, the latest innovation that gives players maximum cushioning, stability and ventilation. Prince Sports has operations on three continents and distribution in over 100 countries. For more information, please visit www.princetennis.com.
