Sprite Step Off(TM) Kicks off 2010 with Regional Final Rounds
Six-City Tour Starts January 16 in Baton Rouge
Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, New York and San Francisco also Host Sprite Step Off Regional Finals
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Sprite Step Off is coming to a college town near you with $1.5 million in scholarships up for grabs. The step competition for college fraternities and sororities kicks off this month with a six-city tour featuring live performances by Ludacris, Lupe Fiasco and other artists. The Regional Final events will take place in Baton Rouge, Charlotte, Chicago, New York, Houston and San Francisco, with the winning fraternities and sororities moving on to the Finals in Atlanta next month.
"In 2010, Sprite wants to help spark a new wave of fresh thinking and creativity among multicultural young people and what better way than through the Sprite Step Off," said Augusto Elias, Sprite brand director, Coca-Cola North America. "With an unprecedented number of teams competing, top-notch performances by renowned music artists, the largest prize pool ever, and an overall commitment to education and the community, the Sprite Step Off is a step competition like no other."
The Sprite Step Off is the largest college fraternity and sorority stepping competition ever, totaling $1.5 million in scholarships. The tournament-style program also features musical performances by popular artists such as Hip Hop stars Ludacris, B.o.B. and Lupe Fiasco and R&B sensations Mario and The-Dream. Community service is also an important part of the college Greek life, and Sprite is embracing it through the Sprite Step Off Service Challenge - a community service platform that calls upon all Americans to collectively donate 1.5 million hours of community service.
The tournament, which began in September 2009 with a series of Qualifying Rounds followed by Regional Semifinals in October, will continue with additional Regional Final rounds featuring more than 60 teams over the span of six events, including:
-- Southern University, Baton Rouge, LA - January 16
-- The Grady Cole Center, Charlotte, NC - January 23
-- Regal Theatre, Chicago, IL - January 23
-- Texas Southern, Houston, TX - January 30
-- Roseland Ballroom, New York, NY - January 30
-- San Francisco Design Arts Center, San Francisco, CA - February 6
Each Regional Final event will be hosted by a local personality and feature eight to fourteen fraternities and sororities, local celebrities and guest performances from musical artists. The McDonald's Flavor Battle will also take the stage with a premiere DJ competition, featuring three local DJs each representing a favorite McDonald's burger. Audience members will then "voice their choice" for their favorite DJ's "flavor" via text message.
In addition, the Sprite Step Off Service Challenge continues with each competing step team collecting books for donation to a local Ronald McDonald House. The teams will also participate in a two-hour service activity at a local Boys & Girls Club in each city. As part of the service activity, Sprite will present each Boys & Girls Club visited with a $4,500 check and more than 100 books. The Clubs include:
-- Baton Rouge, LA - Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge at Park
Forest Middle School
-- Charlotte, NC - The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Greater
Charlotte at the Salvation Army Belmont Boys Club
-- Chicago, IL - Boys & Girls Club of Chicago at the Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. Club
-- Houston - Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston at NFL Youth Education
Town
-- New York, NY - Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club at the Lucile Palmaro
Clubhouse
-- San Francisco - Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, Moldaw-Zaffaroni
Clubhouse in East Palo Alto
The Sprite Step Off will culminate with the National Finals held on February 20, 2010 in Atlanta, GA. The event will feature the top 12 teams - six fraternities and six sororities - as they compete to see who is the best step team in the Sprite Step Off and vie for a share of the $1.5 million scholarship prize pool. "After all is said and done, we believe the Sprite Step Off will be the model for a premier college Greek stepping competition," said Elias.
About the Sprite Step Off
Championed by Sprite, the leading lemon-lime sparkling beverage brand among multicultural young people, Sprite Step Off is a national competition that celebrates the creativity and originality of the multicultural college experience through stepping, scholarship and service. It is the largest step competition for Greek letter organizations in the U.S., with the largest prize pool ever. Sprite Step Off will make it possible for a broader audience to experience an iconic form of self-expression that has been shared by multicultural college students for decades and encourage young people nationwide to get involved in community service to improve their communities. For more information on Sprite Step Off, visit spritestepoff.com.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with nearly 500 sparkling and still brands. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's most valuable brand, the Company's portfolio includes 12 other billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke(R), Fanta(R), Sprite(R), Coca-Cola Zero(R), vitaminwater, POWERADE, Minute Maid(R) and Georgia Coffee. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate of nearly 1.6 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our Web site at www.thecocacolacompany.com.
Source: The Coca-Cola Company
Released January 15, 2010