Spike TV Unveils 'Thad Castle for College Player of the Year' Campaign to Promote New Comedy Series

Multi-Platform Campaign to Build Brand Awareness for 'Blue Mountain State' With College Sports Fans Campaign Includes Times Square Billboard and Video Featuring Bobby Bowden, Dan Fouts, Brian Bosworth, Mike Leach and Jerry Glanville

Spike TV unveils today an ambitious, multi-platform college football player marketing campaign for Thad Castle, star senior linebacker at the fictitious college football powerhouse team featured in the upcoming Spike TV original comedy series, "Blue Mountain State" which premieres on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.

Spike's multi-media campaign is designed to build awareness for the new weekly comedy series with rabid sports fans.

"Over the past few years, similar campaigns have become more prominent and savvy. From Joey Harrington's Nike billboard in 2001 to Tennessee's current campaign promoting defensive back Eric Berry, colleges have become more sophisticated in getting the word out about their players," says Niels Schuurmans, senior vice president of brand marketing and creative at Spike TV. "Our Thad Castle For College Football Player of the Year campaign is a perfect way for Spike to reach out and not only build awareness, but tune-in with college football and general collegiate sports fans, a target audience for Blue Mountain State."

Spike's Thad Castle For College Player of the Year campaign includes the following elements:

- A 40 x 40 billboard located in Times Square, the crossroads of the world, in the heart of New York City.  The billboard creative includes a call-to-action, asking fans/viewers to text the shortcode 44686 on their mobile phones and in return receive a three-minute promotional video and a direct link to Spike's "Blue Mountain State" web site bms.spike.com.

- A three-minute viral video which includes testimonials from well-known current and former football coaches Bobby Bowden (Florida State University), Mike Leach (Texas Tech) and Jerry Glanville (Houston Oilers, Atlanta Falcons) along with former NFL player Brian Bosworth (University of Oklahoma) and former San Diego Chargers quarterback and current NFL color commentator, Dan Fouts.  Here is a link to the video:  http://www.spike.com/video/3286970

- A web site, bms.spike.com, that features the three minute "Thad Castle For College Player of the Year" video, in addition to general information about the series, character biographies and various photo galleries.

- A thirty second version of the Thad Castle For College Player of the Year video which will air across various dayparts on Spike TV, and will also include national run during ESPN's College Football game coverage.

- A grassroots college tour where Spike will visit 14 college campuses during the month of November, the peak college football season. Schools that Spike will visit include University of Florida, University of Tennessee, University of Georgia, University of Miami, Arizona University, USC, Florida State University and University of Iowa.  On select campuses, Spike will host fraternity screenings of "Blue Mountain State" and bring its own mechanical football (a la mechanical bull) ride.  All campuses visited will feature "Blue Mountain State" signage and branded cheerleaders distributing Spike merchandise including t-shirts, beer cozies, mini-footballs, posters and condoms.