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The “Sports Illustrated Heisman Tour Presented by Nissan” Brings 75 Years of the Heisman Trophy and the History of College Football to Fans Nationwide Starting September 5th

NEW YORK, July 23 /PRNewswire/ — Sports Illustrated and Nissan have teamed up to help fans celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Heisman Trophy and the great history of college football with the “Sports Illustrated Heisman Tour Presented by Nissan.” During the 2009 season, the tour will make 10 stops at some of the most anticipated match-ups of the year, showcasing college football’s most famous award, a rich collection of SI’s history covering the quintessential American sport, and Nissan’s dynamic line-up of cars and trucks.

For no charge, fans at each tour stop will have the opportunity to meet former Heisman winners and college football legends as well as pose for a SI cover shot with the Trophy itself. The highly interactive 100 x 100 foot experience also features one-on-one trivia challenges, SI.com kiosks and a look back at past Heisman recipients through SI’s renowned photography and story-telling. As the campaign’s presenting sponsor, Nissan will showcase the 290-horsepower 2010 Maxima premium performance sedan, the original “4-door sports car.”

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“Exhilarating performance is at the heart of college football’s most prestigious award, the Heisman Trophy, and the same is true of Nissan’s flagship sedan, the 2010 Nissan Maxima,” said Christian Meunier, vice president, Nissan Marketing. “Partnering with Sports Illustrated is the perfect way to bring 75 years of college football history to life while offering fans a closer look at Nissan’s exciting vehicles.”

The Sports Illustrated Heisman Tour Presented by Nissan represents a continued partnership between two of the game’s most recognized brands. By working with Nissan — the official ambassador of the Heisman Trophy — Sports Illustrated augments its longstanding coverage of a true American pastime with a one-of-its-kind, multi-platform campaign that reaches out directly to tens of thousands of college football fans.

“Covering college football is part of the DNA at Sports Illustrated and there is no higher honor in the game than the coveted Heisman Trophy,” said Sports Illustrated Group Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Judelson. “We are thrilled to partner with Nissan for the third consecutive year. We consistently continue to innovate and evolve the tour and in 2009 thousands of college football fans will experience the Heisman Trophy and its rich legacy in a meaningful dynamic atmosphere.”

In addition to the coast-to-coast, 10-stop experiential tour, the campaign includes the release of a SI Presents custom publication dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Heisman Trophy as well as several print and digital sponsorships surrounding college football content. For the first time, SI.com will feature a video based “Greatest Heisman Moments” bracket, and SI senior writer (and nationally-syndicated radio host) Dan Patrick will be making appearances at various tour stops. In conjunction with that, one lucky sweepstakes winner and three friends will win a trip to the BCS Championship Game with Dan and a Heisman legend.

The “Sports Illustrated Heisman Tour Presented by Nissan” will make the following game stops during the 2009 college football season:

– September 5, 2009: Georgia at Oklahoma State
– September 12, 2009: USC at Ohio State
– September 19, 2009: Texas Tech at Texas
– October 17, 2009: Cal at UCLA
– October 31, 2009: Florida vs. Georgia in Jacksonville
– November 7, 2009: Ohio State at Penn State
– November 14, 2009: Michigan at Wisconsin
– November 21, 2009: Cal at Stanford
– November 26, 2009: Texas at Texas A&M

– December 5, 2009: SEC Championship

Nissan will be the exclusive sponsor of the custom publication, which will feature an introduction by Dan Patrick on why the Heisman is the coolest award in sports; an interview with John M. Heisman, the grandnephew of the trophy’s namesake; a gatefold poster showcasing every Heisman winner as well as facts and figures about the award itself; and a decade-by-decade rundown of all the winners that includes vintage photos, their key statistics, their “Heisman moments” and odd facts. Plus reprints from SI Vault of classic feature stories on the following Heisman winners: Iowa’s Nile Kinnick (1939), Notre Dame’s Angelo Bertelli (’43), Texas A&M’s John David Crow (’57), UCLA’s Gary Beban (’67), Stanford’s Jim Plunkett (1970), Penn State’s John Cappelletti (’73), Georgia’s Herschel Walker (1982), Oklahoma State’s Barry Sanders (’88), Texas’s Ricky Williams (’98), Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne (’99), Ohio State’s Troy Smith (’06) and Florida’s Tim Tebow (’07).