STAD Big news :
Monday December 13, 2:08 pm Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: Student Advantage, Inc.
Student Advantage, Inc. Forges Marketing, Distribution & Technology Partnerships With Microsoft And Capital One
Nation's Leading Integrated Student Network Increases Membership And Enhances Products and Services
BOSTON, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Student Advantage, Inc. (Nasdaq: STAD - news), the leading membership and media company focused exclusively on the student market, today announces that it has signed significant partnership agreements with both Microsoft Corporation and Capital One Financial Corporation. The two alliances provide thousands of additional students with access to Student Advantage's exclusive membership benefits and enhance the functionality of Student Advantage's FANSonly Network. These partnerships illustrate the Company's strong reputation and track record of being a trusted advocate and respected source of commerce and services for students.
''These new relationships are a real testament to the continuously growing value of the Student Advantage Membership Program and the phenomenal success of our FANSonly Network,'' said Raymond Sozzi, founder and CEO of Student Advantage. ''We're finding that leading brands such as Microsoft and Capital One truly recognize the powerful relationship we have with the college market. As Student Advantage continues to achieve greater levels of scale and distribution, we are able to provide our new and existing partners with unprecedented access to this coveted demographic.''
Capital One Provides Student Advantage Memberships to Student Customers
Student Advantage's partnership with Capital One provides Student Advantage memberships to thousands of Capital One's student customers just in time for the holiday traveling and shopping season. As part of the agreement, Capital One will advertise in SAM-Student Advantage Magazine, the leading print publication for college students, as well as on the ''Buy & Save'' channel at studentadvantage.com. The channel offers valuable discounts to members on everything from school supplies and textbooks to rail and bus tickets.
''Capital One is very excited about building upon its strong position in the student market by partnering with the leading student membership program,'' said Scott Green, marketing manager, Capital One. Green added, ''We're looking forward to working with Student Advantage to bring added value to our customers.''
Microsoft Showcases Multimedia Capabilities at Student Advantage's FANSonly Network
Student Advantage, Inc. signed a two-year content and technology agreement, valued at $1.4 million in cash and services, with Microsoft Windows Media, a division of Microsoft that focuses on technology for streaming audio and video. The partnership allows Student Advantage's FANSonly Network (www.fansonly.com) to provide exclusive audio and video college sports content through studentadvantage.com, FANSonly.com, and the company's network of Official Athletic Sites, representing more than 65 Division I colleges and universities nationwide. The FANSonly multimedia content, which includes press conferences, coach's shows and sports highlights reports, will be available to Microsoft's Windows Media Technologies 4.0 users. Student Advantage is also working with Webcasts.com, its exclusive content integrator, to unify existing FANSonly content with the new multimedia features into a seamless online experience. Student Advantage's members are increasingly demanding more interactive, multimedia offerings online, and the enhanced audio and video content that the company can provide as a result of this deal will further intensify user activity at the FANSonly Network, the largest college sports network on the Internet.
''College students are loyal, passionate sports fans who follow their teams by any means possible,'' said Kevin Unangst, lead product manager, Streaming Media Division of Microsoft Corporation. ''We are thrilled that the FANSonly Network will be using Windows Media Technologies 4.0 to deliver a diverse offering of audio and video to meet this key customer need.''
About Student Advantage, Inc. and The FANSonly Network
Student Advantage, Inc. (Nasdaq: STAD - news) is the leading membership and media company focused exclusively on the college market. The company has established a presence both online and off through its leading online student destination, studentadvantage.com, and the Student Advantage Membership Program. The company has built relationships with a network of more than 55 national sponsors and over 15,000 participating locations in 125 local markets across the country.
Student Advantage's FANSonly Network is currently the fastest-growing college sports site in the world. Student Advantage's FANSonly network provides online brand management and content delivery to more than 65 university athletic departments in the country, through the publishing of Official Athletic Sites for each university. FANSonly.com serves as the network hub, providing comprehensive information on collegiate sports, including in-depth statistical packages and analysis, information on collegiate recruiting, and team pages on every NCAA Division 1 schools, which complements and accentuates the individual Official Athletic Sites.
Founded in 1992, Student Advantage is based in Boston, with regional offices in Atlanta, Berkeley, CA; Chicago; Dallas; Hanover, NH; Los Angeles; New York; Philadelphia; Carlsbad, CA and Washington, D.C. The Company employs more than 270 employees committed to serving the needs of college students everywhere. Student Advantage can be reached by telephone at 617-912-2000, by email at info@studentadvantage.com or the World Wide Web at studentadvantage.com.
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements, which are based on current expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by Student Advantage. Investors are directed to consider other risks and uncertainties discussed in documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without limitation, the risks associated with doing business on the Internet and other factors under ''Risk Factors'' set forth in Student Advantage's Form 10-Q and registration statement on Form S- 1. We undertake no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. |
