College Football Fans Get Control of the Goodyear Blimp

-- Goodyear is teaming with ESPN SportsNation to identify a 'Blimpworthy' football game

-- Fans will vote online to decide where the Goodyear Blimp will provide aerial coverage

-- Results will be announced live on ESPN U's SportsNation on Monday, September 10

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Sep 05, 2012, 06:13 ET

AKRON, Ohio, Sept. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, whose world famous airships have become synonymous with the world's largest sporting events, is once again joining ESPN SportsNation, providing fans with the opportunity to decide which college football match-up will draw aerial coverage by the iconic Goodyear Blimp and be deemed "Blimpworthy."

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120905/CL69088)
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050204/GTLOGO)

Kicking off with an official announcement during today's ESPN's SportsNation broadcast, fans can vote through Goodyear's website (http://www.goodyear.com/en-US/company/blimp), on www.espn.com (search term "Blimpworthy"), and ESPN's SportsNation dedicated Blimpworthy page (http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/post/_/id/8317697/where-sn-send-goodyear-blim) to decide where the Goodyear Blimp will provide aerial coverage. The choices include three marquee college football games with voting ending at midnight on September 7.

"As the worldwide leader and expert in sports, ESPN has relied on Goodyear for years to continually provide amazing aerial coverage for the world's greatest sporting events," said Garth Ely, Goodyear's director of brand marketing. "Just as the experts at ESPN have chosen us, we turned to the fans to join the Goodyear team and help choose which of these games is Blimpworthy."

Voters across the country have the opportunity to direct Goodyear to send one of its three U.S.-based blimps to one of these Sept. 15^th contests: Notre Dame at Michigan State; University of California at Ohio State; or University of Texas at University of Mississippi.

The Blimpworthy voting results will be announced live on ESPN2's SportsNation on Monday, September 10.

Goodyear's blimps are among the most recognizable brand icons, representing the largest tire company in North America. They have adorned the skies since 1925 and have served America as aerial aircraft carriers, surveillance airships protecting merchant ships and early warning radar stations through the 1950s. Today, the fleet consists of three North American airships - Spirit of America in Carson, CA; Spirit of Goodyear in Akron, OH; and Spirit of Innovation in Pompano Beach, FL.

Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs approximately 73,000 people and manufactures its products in 54 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear or its products, go to www.goodyear.com.

SOURCE The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company