KTJ
09-07-2004, 04:56 PM
http://www.texassports.com/mainpages/generalrelease/2004_05/003/090704_30.html
http://www.texassports.com/images/icongraphics/2004_05/003/lonestar_rivalry_logo_200.gif
AUSTIN, Texas and COLLEGE STATION, Texas– Beginning this week, the "Lone Star Showdown" is the official moniker for all varsity men's and women's athletics competition between Texas A&M University and The University of Texas, as announced jointly Tuesday by both institutions.
The already storied rivalry series between the state's two flagship institutions of higher education will be titled and supported financially through a major sponsorship from State Farm Insurance Companies. In a state with more than 1,200 high schools, the Aggies and Longhorns recruit homegrown talent for their broad-based athletics programs. More than 1,300 men and women student-athletes compete for Texas and Texas A&M.
Both universities boast huge living alumni bases – 415,000 for UT and more than 250,000 for Texas A&M – and a significant following from supporters throughout the state and the nation. The schools are members of the Big 12 Conference and NCAA Division I (I-A in football).
Beginning Friday with a soccer match in College Station, the rivalry series will be tracked by a point system during 25 scheduled A&M-UT contests. A total of 19 points can be won.
Winning results from these seven regular season head-to-head match-ups accrue one point each: football, soccer, men's swimming & diving, women's swimming & diving, baseball (best of three-game series victor), men's tennis, and women's tennis.
Winning results from these regular season head-to-head match-ups accrue one-half point, as home-and-home contests are played: men's basketball, women's basketball, women's volleyball, and women's softball.
Higher team place standings from Big 12 Conference Championship events in these sports will accrue one point: men's indoor track & field, women's indoor track & field, men's cross country, women's cross country, men's outdoor track & field, women's outdoor track & field, men's golf, and women's golf.
A logo has been created for use in promotion, advertising, signage, television, and internet publicity efforts. A trophy will designate the Lone Star Showdown champion each year. Host and the two schools are working to increase television and video-streaming exposure of the matchups. Several of the contests already are scheduled for national telecast.
The sponsorship commitment from State Farm was negotiated by UT and Texas A&M representatives with executives from Host Communications, a collegiate marketing and media company with sales offices in Dallas and in Austin and corporate headquarters in Lexington, Ky.
State Farm has supported UT, Texas A&M, and NCAA intercollegiate sports programs in the past and also those conducted by the University Interscholastic League of the state of Texas. The sponsorship covers the 2004-05 and 2005-06 academic years.
"The Lone Star Showdown Series is a unique opportunity to create an alliance with both universities that extends to a local, regional and national market of fans. State Farm has a long history of supporting college athletics, and the opportunity to be part of one of the nation's greatest rivalries is something we're very excited about."
Ron Dodd, senior vice president of State Farm's Texas zone
"The Lone Star Showdown is a great opportunity to showcase and enhance one of the best rivalries in all of college athletics. I know the Texas A&M fans, coaches, and student-athletes will embrace this rivalry series in the true spirit of competition and sportsmanship. We also are confident that this will give the great high school athletes in the state of Texas just one more reason to attend one of these two outstanding Universities. Our mission in Texas A&M Athletics is building champions, and this rivalry series will enhance the opportunity of both schools in all sports to not just be champions in Texas but to be Big 12 and national champions as well."
Bill Byrne, Texas A&M Director of Athletics
"The Texas-Texas A&M rivalry is part of the very fabric of the state of Texas. Alumni take great pride in tracking the results of any contest involving the Longhorns and the Aggies, be it football, basketball, baseball, soccer…I would venture that even the university debate teams carry a spirited rivalry. When Texas and Texas A&M compete, those who follow college athletics pay attention. Both institutions and athletics programs have great respect for each other, and we take pride in our roles as leaders in intercollegiate athletics. We are grateful for State Farm's continuing support of the educational and athletics opportunities we offer to the young men and women on our campuses."
DeLoss Dodds, Texas Men's Athletics Director
http://www.texassports.com/images/icongraphics/2004_05/003/lonestar_rivalry_logo_200.gif
AUSTIN, Texas and COLLEGE STATION, Texas– Beginning this week, the "Lone Star Showdown" is the official moniker for all varsity men's and women's athletics competition between Texas A&M University and The University of Texas, as announced jointly Tuesday by both institutions.
The already storied rivalry series between the state's two flagship institutions of higher education will be titled and supported financially through a major sponsorship from State Farm Insurance Companies. In a state with more than 1,200 high schools, the Aggies and Longhorns recruit homegrown talent for their broad-based athletics programs. More than 1,300 men and women student-athletes compete for Texas and Texas A&M.
Both universities boast huge living alumni bases – 415,000 for UT and more than 250,000 for Texas A&M – and a significant following from supporters throughout the state and the nation. The schools are members of the Big 12 Conference and NCAA Division I (I-A in football).
Beginning Friday with a soccer match in College Station, the rivalry series will be tracked by a point system during 25 scheduled A&M-UT contests. A total of 19 points can be won.
Winning results from these seven regular season head-to-head match-ups accrue one point each: football, soccer, men's swimming & diving, women's swimming & diving, baseball (best of three-game series victor), men's tennis, and women's tennis.
Winning results from these regular season head-to-head match-ups accrue one-half point, as home-and-home contests are played: men's basketball, women's basketball, women's volleyball, and women's softball.
Higher team place standings from Big 12 Conference Championship events in these sports will accrue one point: men's indoor track & field, women's indoor track & field, men's cross country, women's cross country, men's outdoor track & field, women's outdoor track & field, men's golf, and women's golf.
A logo has been created for use in promotion, advertising, signage, television, and internet publicity efforts. A trophy will designate the Lone Star Showdown champion each year. Host and the two schools are working to increase television and video-streaming exposure of the matchups. Several of the contests already are scheduled for national telecast.
The sponsorship commitment from State Farm was negotiated by UT and Texas A&M representatives with executives from Host Communications, a collegiate marketing and media company with sales offices in Dallas and in Austin and corporate headquarters in Lexington, Ky.
State Farm has supported UT, Texas A&M, and NCAA intercollegiate sports programs in the past and also those conducted by the University Interscholastic League of the state of Texas. The sponsorship covers the 2004-05 and 2005-06 academic years.
"The Lone Star Showdown Series is a unique opportunity to create an alliance with both universities that extends to a local, regional and national market of fans. State Farm has a long history of supporting college athletics, and the opportunity to be part of one of the nation's greatest rivalries is something we're very excited about."
Ron Dodd, senior vice president of State Farm's Texas zone
"The Lone Star Showdown is a great opportunity to showcase and enhance one of the best rivalries in all of college athletics. I know the Texas A&M fans, coaches, and student-athletes will embrace this rivalry series in the true spirit of competition and sportsmanship. We also are confident that this will give the great high school athletes in the state of Texas just one more reason to attend one of these two outstanding Universities. Our mission in Texas A&M Athletics is building champions, and this rivalry series will enhance the opportunity of both schools in all sports to not just be champions in Texas but to be Big 12 and national champions as well."
Bill Byrne, Texas A&M Director of Athletics
"The Texas-Texas A&M rivalry is part of the very fabric of the state of Texas. Alumni take great pride in tracking the results of any contest involving the Longhorns and the Aggies, be it football, basketball, baseball, soccer…I would venture that even the university debate teams carry a spirited rivalry. When Texas and Texas A&M compete, those who follow college athletics pay attention. Both institutions and athletics programs have great respect for each other, and we take pride in our roles as leaders in intercollegiate athletics. We are grateful for State Farm's continuing support of the educational and athletics opportunities we offer to the young men and women on our campuses."
DeLoss Dodds, Texas Men's Athletics Director