AT&T Tips Off NCAA Final Four Weekend with High-Speed Interactive Activities and High-Energy Musical Celebration

AT&T Connects NCAA® Basketball Fans, Motown, St. Louis, and Mobile TV Customers via Interactive Entertainment, Live Music and Naismith Award Excitement

Dallas, Texas, The value of connecting sports fans with the teams they love is easy to see. When you’re talking about NCAA® March Madness®, it’s unmistakable. AT&T* announced today a high-energy entertainment and interactive lineup for events surrounding both the 2009 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four® — supporting fans who attend the games and sports fans who enjoy the excitement on the go, via a variety of fast-paced technologies.

Interacting with Fans In Detroit and St. Louis
This weekend, AT&T kicks off the celebration for both the men’s and women’s final games in Hoop City, the NCAA’s ultimate basketball festival. Here, fans can participate in AT&T’s interactive stations at the AT&T Arena, which will be live in both Detroit and St. Louis Hoop City celebrations. Some of the fun here includes:

* More Bars in More Places™ Shootout: If a contestant is able to score a basket from each bar he/she is entered for a chance to win two tickets to the NCAA Championship.

* Guitar Hero Mobile® Gaming Area: In Detroit, renowned Guitar Hero champion “Tipper Queen” will make scheduled appearances and “rock out” with fans using the latest AT&T handsets.

* AT&T At the Half Video Play-by-Play: Fans put their broadcasting skills to the test as they perform play-by-play on some of the most thrilling moments in collegiate basketball.

* Text 4 UR Team: Participants have the opportunity to vote for their favorite college basketball team. AT&T will feature new text-friendly AT&T handsets for consumers to use.

* DJ / Music Station: Using AT&T handsets, contestants will race against one another to find songs or ringtones that answer the DJ’s trivia questions.

* Autograph Station: And, in Detroit, fans have the opportunity to meet and receive autographs from some of the game’s past and present players and coaches.

The Big Dance, AT&T Block Party, AT&T Speed Zone
In Detroit, the weekend celebration also springs to life on Friday at The Big Dance, the NCAA’s free music concert hosted on the Detroit Riverfront as part of the Final Four celebration. Inside this festival area, fans can enjoy the AT&T Block Party on Friday, April 3, and the AT&T Speed Zone.
The AT&T Block Party will be headlined by funk rock trendsetters N.E.R.D., who have blended hip hop, R&B, soul, and alternative rock to produce two top 10 albums in the U.S. In addition, pop star and singer/songwriter Jesse McCartney will perform on the AT&T Block Party stage. Musical performances will also include Big Sean and other musicians from the Detroit area.
During the AT&T Block Party, fans will also be introduced to the men’s finalists for the prestigious Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T, which is awarded annually to the college basketball player of the year. This year’s men’s award finalists include DeJuan Blair (University of Pittsburgh) and Hasheem Thabeet (University of Connecticut), the BIG EAST Co-Players of the Year; Blake Griffin (Oklahoma University), the top player in the Big 12; and Tyler Hansbrough (University of North Carolina).
Votes for the Naismith men’s and women’s finalists via text message will comprise 25 percent of the final results. Fans can register to vote by texting VOTE to 51234 between now and Saturday, April 4 ,at 9 p.m. EDT. ** In addition to the men’s finalists who will be on stage in Detroit, fans can text vote for the 2009 women’s Naismith finalists as well. These include Renee Montgomery (University of Connecticut), Maya Moore (University of Connecticut), Angel McCoughtry (University of Louisville) and Courtney Paris (Oklahoma University). The men’s winner will be announced at Monday’s Championship game on CBS during “AT&T At The Half.”
Fans in The Big Dance festival area can also enjoy the latest wireless technology in the AT&T Speed Zone. Some of the high-speed sports savvy activities here include:

* Nothing but Network Shootout: Participants must score from five spots on the court within 30 seconds. Every participant receives a Final Four lithograph poster.
* Need For Speed Racing Kiosk: Participants use the new HTC Fuze handset to compete for the highest score on one of AT&T’s most popular mobile games.
* AT&T Navigator Competition: Fans race to find the distance to each of the Final Four teams’ campuses, the quickest route to local Detroit landmarks and the cheapest gasoline within 5 miles… all by using AT&T Navigator.
* Mobile Squid: People serving as “Mobile Squids” will roam freely through crowds to demonstrate Mobile TV, while an overhead monitor features a Mobile TV product video.
* Green Screen Photo Station: This photo station utilizes green screen technology to place fans into customized Final Four-related photos.

“At AT&T, we’re glad to help give sports fans more ways to connect with their favorite teams,” said David Christopher, Chief Marketing Officer for AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. “Whether they’re enjoying the games in person — or remotely through a variety of mobile technologies we’re offering — our efforts around the Final Four are one way we’re working hard to drive value for our customers and our business.”
Connecting Fans At Home or On the Go
College basketball fans can catch the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship even when they’re not in front of a TV — as the result of AT&T’s agreement with CBS and FLO TV, which powers AT&T Mobile TV. Coverage includes game highlights, score recaps and analysis from CBS Sports in broadcast quality on users’ cell phones — similar to the experience of watching from their home TVs.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

** Standard text messaging applies

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world’s most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation’s fastest 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation’s leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.