Marvel Enterprises and USHRA Monster Jam Join Forces to Bring Marvel's Greatest Superheroes to the Monster Truck Circuit
NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Jan. 24, 2001--Spider-Man, The X-Men and The Hulk are preparing to take on a monstrous, new challenge - the monster truck circuit. Marvel Enterprises, Inc. and SFX Motor Sports Group, a company of SFX Entertainment, Inc. have entered into a multi-year deal to put the pedal to the metal and create powerful, larger-than-life, four-wheel machines themed after Marvel's greatest superheroes. Taking car crashing and track racing to an all-time high, the Spider-Man and X-Men Wolverine trucks will begin to wreak havoc on the United States Hot Rod Association(R) Monster Jam circuit during the 2001 season. The Hulk truck is scheduled to vent its anger on the competition during the 2002 season.
Monster Jam is one of today's hottest spectator sports. More than four million fans annually attend the live events while millions of others tune in to TNN'S MONSTER MADNESS every Friday at 10:00 p.m. EST to watch the four-wheel drive extravaganza. The 2001 racing season kicks off this month and will travel to more than 90 cities, including a majority of the top U.S. and Canadian markets.
Marvel's Spider-Man and X-Men monster trucks will be among the featured attractions at Monster Jam events. With their unique design and distinctive features, the mighty Marvel vehicles will battle the circuit's best including the world-renowned Grave Digger(TM) and Goldberg(TM) trucks.
In addition to the great awareness generated from the live events and television series, Marvel and its Spider-Man and X-Men Wolverine vehicles-of-destruction will receive huge exposure through the extensive Monster Jam licensing program. Revving up as the 'hot' vehicle license of the millennium, SFX Motor Sports group currently has more than 20 licensees in the Monster Jam program. Headlining the program is master toy licensee Mattel, who will create Spider-Man and X-Men Wolverine monster truck toy replicas. Additionally, the Marvel truck images will be featured on products from Pyramid, Play-by-Play and JEM Sportswear, among others.
"Our partnership with SFX Motor Sports' Monster Jam program is a very important part of our marketing strategy to build ancillary exposure and interest for our characters among a highly targeted audience leading up to the launch of feature films starring these superheroes," said Russ Brown, Senior Vice President, Consumer Products, Promotions & Media Sales. "This type of non-traditional marketing also helps support our classic licensing business for these world-renowned characters as it keeps them in the spotlight on a regular basis."
The deal was brokered on behalf of SFX Motor Sports Group by 4Kids Entertainment .