HERSHEY, Pa., March 07, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- College basketball just got a whole lot sweeter! Today, The Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) announced a five-year extension with CBS Sports, Turner Sports and the NCAA® to continue its role as “Official Confectionery Partner.” Hershey’s iconic brand, Reese’s, will return as title sponsor of the Reese’s College All-Star Game and will continue to host a kick-off to Final Four® weekend with Reese’s Final Four Friday®.

“Reese’s brand is all about fun and NCAA® March Madness® is arguably the most fun, exciting and highly-anticipated event in college sports,” said Kristen Riggs, Senior Marketing Director, Reese’s brand. “We want to inspire fans and consumers to go for it and get into the game day spirit even more passionately than before.  Whether on the basketball court, cheering in the stands or enjoying the action from home, Reese’s brand wants to be a part of your celebrations; we couldn’t be more thrilled to continue our partnership with the NCAA.” 

The Hershey Company has been an official partner of the NCAA since 2009, and the Reese’s brand has played a central role in activating this sponsorship since the beginning with dynamic programming including creative advertising, social and digital media, in-store promotions and activations on-site in final four markets.

Reese’s Brand Brings Perfect Combination of Chocolate and Peanut Butter to Final Four Phoenix  

For the ninth consecutive year, Reese’s brand will bring its iconic pairing of chocolate and peanut butter to the Final Four® by headlining the Reese’s College All-Star Game. Taking place this year on Friday, March 31^st at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona, the game is set to feature 20 of the finest NCAA Division I senior college basketball student-athletes from across the country. The game tips off at 6:37pm EST and will be broadcast LIVE on CBS Sports Network, with Carter Blackburn, Steve Lappas and Allie LaForce calling the action. Current college basketball head coaches Josh Pastner (Georgia Tech) and Tad Boyle (Colorado) will lead the East and West teams. 

The Reese’s College All-Star Game will be played as part of events during the fifth annual Reese’s Final Four Friday®. The family-friendly event is free to the public, and features each of the Final Four teams in their last open practice before Saturday’s national semifinal games. A variety of special entertainment, tributes and fan activities will take place throughout the day.

“The NCAA is thrilled that The Hershey Company has decided to renew its partnership and that it will continue supporting our student-athletes at championships as an NCAA Corporate Partner,” said Dan Gavitt, NCAA senior vice president for basketball.  “Our fans really enjoy the creative marketing projects and campaigns that Reese’s brand puts together, and we look forward to working with Hershey and the Reese’s brand for many years to come.”

“The Hershey Company has been a great partner for many years and is an important part of the NCAA Corporate Marketing family,” said Devron Edwards, Vice President, NCAA Partnership, CBS Sports. “NCAA Basketball and Reese's brand are a perfect combination and both are loved by fans across the country.  We are excited Reese's brand will continue to support the Reese's College All-Star game on CBS Sports Network and we look forward to continued success together.”

“The Hershey Company and Reese’s brand are iconic brands that have contributed to the success and enthusiasm around college sports, notably Final Four weekend,” said Katy Mollica, vice president, property partnerships, Turner Sports. “With brand strategy that extends well beyond on the ground events, to include retail and nationwide marketing activations, we are excited to continue to sweeten the experience for fans nationwide.”

There’s no greater joy than the thrill of victory in March. The only thing that could make it better? Having that unique combination of peanut butter and chocolate that delivers the euphoria you crave – the same excitement March Madness® delivers every year! For more information and to get in on the action, follow Reese’s brand on Facebook at Facebook.com/Reeses and Twitter @ReesesPBCups, and stay tuned for the brand’s #ReesesFTW social media campaign throughout March Madness®.

About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company, headquartered in Hershey, Pa., is a global confectionery leader known for bringing goodness to the world through its chocolate, sweets, mints and other great-tasting snacks. Hershey has approximately 18,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 80 brands around the world that drive more than $7.4 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers and Brookside. Building on its core business, Hershey is expanding its portfolio to include a broader range of delicious snacks. The company remains focused on growing its presence in key international markets while continuing to extend its competitive advantage in North America.

At Hershey, goodness has always been about more than delicious products. For more than 120 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on giving underserved children the skills and support they need to be successful. Today, the company continues this social purpose through 'Nourishing Minds,' a global initiative that provides basic nutrition to help children learn and grow. From neighborhoods across the United States to the streets of Shanghai and Mumbai and villages of West Africa, our goal is to nourish one million minds by 2020.
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About the NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola as official corporate champions and the following elite companies as official corporate partners: Allstate, Amazon Echo, Bing (Microsoft), Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, Enterprise, Infiniti, LG, Lowe’s, Marriott International, Nabisco, Northwestern Mutual, Pizza Hut, Reese’s, Unilever and Wendy’s.

About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest “Phog” Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas.  Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game.  The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches.  All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s student-athletes.  The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education.  Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.

Contacts
The Hershey Company
Anna Lingeris | | 717-649-7214 | alingeris@hersheys.com
Ketchum Public Relations
Rachel Brueno | 212-796-9822 | rachel.brueno@ketchum.com
NCAA 
Gail Dent | 317-917-6117 | gdent@ncaa.org