Longines Named Official Timekeeper of the BNP Paribas Showdown at MSG
Longines, the Swiss-based watch company, will be the official timekeeper for the highly anticipated BNP Paribas Showdown. Tennis rivals of the 80s and 90s, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl will once again compete at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 28, 2011. John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl will compete in a one set pro match (first player to win eight games) followed by a best-of-three set match between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi.
Since 1832 Longines has stood for elegance, with a strong devotion to tradition. The partnership with the BNP Paribas Showdown contributes to Longines’ long standing history with international tennis events including Roland Garros, the Japan open, and the Kremlin Cup. Longines is official timekeeper at many prestigious equestrian and skiing events as well, including the Kentucky Derby, Royal Ascot, the Melbourne Cup, International Skiing Federation’s Alpine World Cup, and additional sporting events around the world.
Andre Agassi has been a brand ambassador for Longines since 2007. With his dedication to perfection, Mr. Agassi is a natural match for the unparalleled quality of the nearly 180 year old watch company. Andre turned pro at the age of 16, earned 60 men’s singles titles in his career, and was the first male player ever to win all four Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold medal.
As part of the pre-game festivities, Longines will give guests an opportunity to enter to win a coveted Longines Conquest watch for a small donation of ten dollars. The Longines conquest with ceramic center links in the bracelet is very sleek and is a perfect example of Longines’ innate ability to marry style, elegance, and performance. The characteristics of the Conquest line meet the requirements of the most demanding sports: water-resistance to 30 bar (300 m), screw-in crown and case-back, lateral protection for the crown, triple folding safety clasp. The 41 mm diameter stainless steel case houses an automatic movement, chronograph and three-hand movement.
All proceeds collected will go to the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education benefitting the Longines Elegance Scholarship Fund. The scholarship was founded to promote higher education for students enrolled at the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy. To date, Longines has awarded scholarships to eleven students from Agassi Prep to further their education. Agassi Prep founded by Mr. Agassi in 1994 is a public charter school for grades K-12. The foundation provides an opportunity for a quality education for underserved youth in Las Vegas, Nevada. Both Mr. Agassi and Longines strongly believe that every child is deserving of an outstanding academic experience.
For more information, visit www.longines.com or www.tennisshowdown.com.
