Verizon Wireless Teams up with United Center

SCHAUMBURG, IL — New banners will be raised in the United Center this season, and hopefully they'll soon be joined by new championship flags.

Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless communications provider, has announced an agreement with the United Center Joint Venture, that will allow the company to have a prominent presence at all of the United Center events over the next year. All home games for the 2000-2001 professional basketball and hockey seasons are included in the agreement, as well as select ice shows, circuses, college basketball games, concerts, and other spectator events. The agreement includes signage on one of the United Center outdoor marquees, concourse signage in the United Center for all scheduled events, as well as four signs on the main scoreboard throughout the basketball and hockey seasons.

Greg Klimek, President, Chicago Region - Verizon Wireless, said the company will use the space to underscore its position as the nation's largest wireless communications company. "Since we became Verizon Wireless last July, messages about our company and the quality of our wireless service have been spreading. Our agreement with the United Center will continue to emphasize the Verizon Wireless name and our market position. It will create additional brand awareness to a wide variety of audiences attending professional and college sports, concerts and other events," Klimek said.

"Verizon Wireless customers will benefit from our sponsorship, too," Klimek continued. "Many times throughout the year, we will have raffles at our stores that will include tickets to United Center events."

Howard Pizer, Executive Vice President of the United Center, said "We are excited to have Verizon Wireless join us in what we believe is the greatest sports and entertainment venue in the country. Our relationship with Verizon Wireless will assist us in building our brand, while helping to build their brand in the Chicago market."

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About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with 26.3 million wireless voice and data customers and 3.5 million paging customers. The new coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE Corp. - now Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) - and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). The new company includes the assets of Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, GTE Wireless, PrimeCo Personal Communications and AirTouch Paging. The company has a footprint covering nearly 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 96 of the top 100 U.S. markets. Verizon Wireless, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 32,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company in its Media Center on the Web at: http://www.VerizonWireless.com/mediacenter/index.shtml

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