Prince Creates Custom Racquets for Nintendo Wii Gamers
Tennis Leader Expands Brand Visibility to Gaming Community and New Retail Channels
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Zach Perles
One Advantage Court
Bordentown,
609-291-5932
zperles@princesports.com
10/01/07 - Bordentown, NJ – In only one year, Nintendo’s Wii Tennis has become something of a video game phenomenon complete with millions of die-hard fans.
Around the globe, people of all ages have gotten up off the couch to engage in a new form of video competition that lets friends and families play “virtual” tennis against each other, complete with real footwork and real follow-throughs.
Until now however, there has only been one problem – there has been no proper Wii tennis racquet! Prince, an industry leader in performance tennis equipment, in partnership with Qualtech Global, Ltd., has created Wii Tennis racquets designed specifically to make the playing experience for gamers even more realistic and fun – and they are arriving just in time for the 2007 holiday gift-giving season!
Available in multiple colors, these safe, scaled-down racquets house the Wii remote and give players an unparalleled sense that they are playing a real match with a real racquet!
“Even before the first racquets went to production, people started jockeying to get them for themselves, their kids or their friends who “just had to have them,” said Linda Glassel Vice President of Marketing and Brand Image at Prince. “Prince is a performance tennis brand excited to aid in the enjoyment of anyone who is playing any form of the sport. We think this game and these racquets will encourage people, of all ages, to get out on a real tennis court and play some points there as well.”
Search Wii Tennis on YouTube.com and it will return dozens of homegrown videos showing players from all parts of the world going head-to-head against one another. For many, it has become an obsession, or a creative form of exercise, and the growing trend of playing Wii Tennis has led to competitions at local bars, Wii Tennis as part of school PE curriculums, and the first ever “Wiimbledon” tournament held earlier this year.
For Prince, creating these racquets for Wii gamers provides the opportunity to expand the brand’s visibility into alternative retail channels.
“Offering these racquets makes perfect sense for us. We are not only providing a really fun, useful accessory to the Wii user, but encouraging additional exposure for the brand and the sport as well," added Glassel. “We hope that many of the people who find us in the video game section, will head to the sporting goods section or their local tennis shop and pick up a Prince racquet, either for the first time or to get back in the game. It is really a win-win for players and gamers.”
AVAILABILITY:
The Prince Wii Tennis racquets will be available beginning November 15, 2007 at all Circuit City locations as well as online at www.circuitcity.com
PRICING:
Suggested Retail Price - $14.99
For additional information regarding the products, pricing or availability, please contact:
Zach Perles
Prince Sports, Inc.
609.291.5932
zperles@princesports.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 the Company introduced its O Tech platform building the brand with O3 Original (2005), O3 Hybrid (2006) and O3 Speedport (2007) racquets which give players speed, stability and a larger sweet spot. Since then, the Company has licensed, under the O Tech trademark, its award winning O Technology to leading brands in other sports as a product performance booster. In 2006, Prince introduced M Series footwear with Precision Tube Technology, an innovation that gives players maximum cushioning, stability and ventilation. In 2007, Prince introduced AeroTech apparel, an advanced technology based fabric system, engineered to fit your game. Prince Sports has operations on three continents and distribution in over 100 countries. For more information, please visit www.princesports.com.
