WILTON, CT (March 9, 2004) - Velocity Sports & Entertainment, the nation’s leading sponsorship marketing agency, today announces the creation of Velocity Municipal Marketing, a division focused on the rapidly emerging municipal sponsorship market. Jeff Ferguson, former head of the Marketing Alliance Group, has joined Velocity to lead this new initiative for the company.

The municipal sponsorship market is the fastest growing sponsorship market to emerge since the naming rights phenomenon of the early 90's. Cities such as Dallas, Miami Beach and Seattle have spent significant dollars creating their brand and leveraging their local assets (e.g. parks, playgrounds, community buildings, schools, etc.). The money is then earmarked to help offset municipal budget shortfalls and save vital community programs. In 2003 alone, states cut revenues by $2.3 billion. While only in its infancy, in 2002 municipalities generated more than $175 million in sponsorship revenue. This number is projected to increase dramatically moving forward.

Until now, no leader has emerged that could help corporations effectively navigate through the many unique challenges and bureaucratic obstacles inherent to municipal marketing. As the leader in the sponsorship industry, Velocity has helped corporations such as IBM, FedEx, Cingular Wireless and Home Depot maximize the value of their sponsorship initiatives, and the addition of Jeff Ferguson adds an unprecedented level of municipal expertise. The result is that Velocity Municipal Marketing brings to the industry a proven leader that is uniquely qualified to help corporations take full advantage of this new marketing opportunity.

According to Ferguson, " Municipal marketing represents a dynamic new frontier for the sponsorship industry. Velocity Municipal Marketing will focus on the strategic development of municipal marketing partnerships that will be much more than a branding program for clients. We will develop programs that improve the quality of life in the community, thereby connecting the brand with the community."

About Jeff Furgeson

Ferguson has been developing municipal partnerships over the past decade in cities like Miami and Orlando. He created the St. Patrick's Parade and Earthday Birthday Festival that brought consumers back to downtown Orlando. He co-founded the Orlando Fan Fairs with the Florida Citrus Sports Association for events ranging from the 1996 Olympics to the Capitol One Bowl Games. Ferguson co-developed Kennedy and Blanche Parks in Miami's historic Coconut Grove District through a sponsorship with Ralston Purina. He has also consulted several cities on the development of their corporate partnership policies. Ferguson co-founded the Public-Private Alliance which is the first national association dedicated to the promotion and education of municipal marketing. He is also Communications Chair for the Florida State Chapter of the Congress For the New Urbanism. Ferguson has focused on creating gathering areas that promote a pedestrian friendly environment and is widely regarded as the country's leading expert in municipal "Smart Growth Sponsorship."

About Velocity Sports & Entertainment

Velocity Sports & Entertainment is a marketing agency specializing in helping clients maximize the value of sports and entertainment sponsorship marketing efforts. Velocity assists clients in all aspects of the sponsorship marketing process including strategic planning, negotiation, program development, leveraging, execution, customer hospitality, and pre-/post- evaluation. For the second consecutive year Velocity was ranked as one of the nation's top 25 promotional agencies by PROMO Magazine in its annual "PROMO 100" listing. Velocity clients include IBM, FedEx, Cingular Wireless, The Home Depot, Eli Lilly (Cialis), Gillette, ConAgra Foods, Masterfoods, Citizens Bank, eBay, The New York Times and NASCAR.

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