2014 NCAA TOURNAMENTSPONSORSHIP

TWO GREAT NEWS ORGANIZATIONS

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The News-Star has teamed up with USA TODAY Sports to bring Louisiana’s uncompromising sports fans even more in-depth coverage of the 2014 NCAA Basketball Tournament. It’s Madness!!

BECOME AN EXCLUSIVE SPONSOR

PRINT – REGULAR FEATURES

Align your brand with up to 15 individual articles, appearing between March 5 and April 8, including:

• Who’s In? Who’s Out?• Bracket Briefing

Advertising &sponsorshipactivations:• ‘Coverage Sponsored by’ position

at the top of the page• 1/2 page 4C ad adjacent to

featured content3

In-Depth PrintSponsor

Logo

Coverage Sponsored by

DIGITAL – ON-GOING COVERAGE

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In-Depth DigitalContinuous digital coverage throughout the tournament season, including:

• Who’s In? Who’s Out?

• Bracket Briefing

• Round by Round Matchups

Advertising and sponsorship activations:

• Sports section front sliding billboard, 100% SOV

• 300x250 and 728x90 Run of Sports display ads

• Combine with mobile/tablet ad inventory

OUR NCAA TOURNAMENT EXPERTS

Scott GleesonA Washington, D.C. based sports journalist

who has been featured on ESPN Radio, For The Win, SLAM, and numerous other publications. Before his position with USA Today Sports, Scott worked for SLAM Magazine as well as The Washington Examiner and is a graduate of Illinois State University.

Eric Prisbell Eric, who has covered

11 consecutive Final Fours, is an award-winning national college basketball reporter who has spent more than a decade delving into the often swampy waters of the summer basketball recruiting scene. Before his time with USA Today, Prisbell wrote for The Washington Post and The Fresno Bee.

Nicole Auerbach

Nicole, a University of Michigan graduate, has written cover stories

and features on some of the most interesting characters in college sports. Prior to USA Today, Nicole wrote for The Boston Globe and has had freelance pieces in SI.com, The Wall Street Journal, and ESPN.com.

Shelby Mast Shelby’s first bracket

experience came through the creation

of his largely successful site, Bracket W.A.G. Since then, he has covered bracketology with College Insider as well as the Indianapolis Star.

EDITORIAL CALENDAR

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NCAA BASKETBALL PRE-TOURNAMENT COVERAGEDate Content Timing Editorial Focus

3/5Who's In?/Who's Out? - 1/2 page 4C feature

1 week prior to conference

tournaments

Break-down of every conference, Bracket Briefing

predictions

3/12Who's In?/Who's Out? - 1/2 page 4C feature

Week of start of conference

tournaments

Break-down of every conference, Bracket Briefing

predictions NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT COVERAGE

Date Content Timing Editorial Focus

3/17Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C feature Tournament Preview

NCAA Field announced. Breaking down the four

regions.

3/18Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C feature First FourPreviewing two First Four

games.

3/19Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C feature First Four

Previewing two First Four games. First Four games

coverage (2).

3/20Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C feature Second Round

Previewing second-round games. First Four games

coverage (2).

Continued On Next Slide

EDITORIAL CALENDAR (CONT’D)

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NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT COVERAGEDate Content Timing Editorial Focus3/21 Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C featureSecond Round Second-round games coverage.

Previewing second-round games (2).

3/24Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C feature Third Round Third-round games coverage.

3/27Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C feature Sweet Sixteen Previewing Sweet 16 games.

3/28Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C feature Sweet Sixteen Sweet 16 games coverage.

3/31Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C feature Elite Eight Elite Eight games coverage.

4/4Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C feature Final 4 Final Four preview.

4/6Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C featureNational

Championship National semi-final games coverage.

4/7Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C featureNational

Championship National championship preview.

4/8Bracket Briefing - 1/2

page 4C featureNational

ChampionshipNational championship game

coverage.

NCAA TOURNAMENT AUDIENCE INSIGHTS

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NCAA BRACKETS, NEWS, AND INFO ARE SHARED AND UTILIZED THROUGHOUT THE TOURNAMENT:

• 50% shared USA TODAY college basketball stories/info with others

• 87% of respondents rated USA TODAY’s coverage of the tournament as Excellent or Very Good

Source: 2010 Survey Study

WHAT REAL READERS ARE SAYING

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“Overall I give the USA TODAY Sports section a thumbs up.”

“I like that there is more to read and more information on national and international

sports.”

“I feel I am getting a lot more newspaper for my money. I do enjoy the expanded sports

section with the inclusion of the USA TODAY material.”

“I like it. I like to get scores on a more national level, such as when Duke plays NC or other

games that aren’t covered locally.”

“I love the USA TODAY section of the Sports section! Makes me feel like I live in a ‘real

city’.”

Actual consumer feedback on receiving USA TODAY Sports in their local newspaper:

Source: Gannett Reader Study, 2013

EXCLUSIVE SPONSORSHIP

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In-Depth print

• (15) half pages with full color adjacent to USA Today coverage.

• “Coverage Sponsored by” logo at top of all USA Today coverage pages.

In-Depth digital

• (30) sliding billboards on sports section front page• (750,000) combination of 300X250 and 728X90 impressions on sports-related pages• (100,000) mobile impressions

PACKAGE VALUE: $40,125INVESTMENT: $15,000

Lock up the market with an exclusive sponsorship

THREE SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE

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In-Depth print

• (5) half pages with full color adjacent to USA Today coverage.• “Coverage Sponsored by” logo at top of all USA Today coverage pages with your ad.

In-Depth digital

• (10) sliding billboards on sports section front page• (250,000) combination of 300X250 and 728X90 impressions on sports-related pages• (33,000) mobile impressions

PACKAGE VALUE: $13,375INVESTMENT: $5,000

Lock up the market with a semi-exclusive sponsorship

Source: Gannett Reader Study, 2013

2013-2014 OFFICIAL SPONSORS/PARTNERS

• AT&T • Capital One• Coca-Cola• All-State• Buffalo Wild Wings• Buick• Burger King• Enterprise• Infiniti• LG• Lowe's• Nabisco• Northwestern Mutual• Reese's• Unilever• UPS

Contact:News Star Media Group

MCarter@gannett.com(318) 362-0221