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National Car Rental Takes the Lead in Sports Sponsorships

14 July 1998

National Car Rental Takes the Lead in Sports Sponsorships

    MINNEAPOLIS, July 14 -- If you watched Triple Crown horse
races, Monday Night Football, World Cup soccer or PGA golf, you heard it:
National Car Rental's rhythmic hand claps and "Let's Go!" slogan.
    Among travel companies, National Car Rental is the sports marketer,
promoting its fast and efficient car rentals on almost every major national
sporting event. And National's name sponsorship of the National Car Rental
Center -- the first time a car rental company has sponsored a sports center --
is just the next logical step for the company that has made sports fans a key
target market.
    "The National Car Rental Center is a natural extension of everything we
are doing in sports sponsorships," said Bob Dimmick, Corporate Vice President
of Marketing for National(R). "It's entertainment and sports, and it has
exposure around the world."
    National Car Rental made news in the sports world earlier this year with
the announcement that it would be the title sponsor of the National Car Rental
Golf Classic at Walt Disney World Resort on Oct. 19-25, 1998. National in
Europe also sponsored the National Car Rental English Open in Ware, England in
June.
    Like National's groundbreaking name sponsorship of the National Car Rental
Center, National Car Rental Golf Classic at Walt Disney World Resort is the
first time a car rental company has sponsored a PGA Tour event.
    "The golf tournament is a fantastic opportunity to expand our role in
professional golf and make a lasting impression on golf audiences," he said.
    Here is a list of National Car Rental's sports sponsorships:

    * National Car Rental Golf Classic at Walt Disney World Resort
    * National Car Rental English Open
    * College Football
    * Bowl Championship Series on ABC
    * World Figure Skating Championships
    * The Breeder's Cup
    * World Cup Soccer
    * The PGA of America
    * The PGA Tour
    * Senior PGA Tour
    * The LPGA Tour
    * Historically Black College Coalition
    * Preferred Car Rental Company of the New York Yankees
    * Official Car Rental Company of the Minnesota Timberwolves

    Based in Minneapolis, National Car Rental is a leading rental car company
for business travelers in the U.S., and around the world. The Emerald Club
Aisle Service provides quick turnaround for renters who are able to choose
their own cars while bypassing the counter. Today, when customers call their
travel agent or National's toll-free number, 1-800-CAR-RENT(R), they can
reserve a car at any one of nearly 3,000 locations in 75 countries. National
rents cars in the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean
and the Pacific and with Nippon in Japan.