Northwestern University Athletics announces Cricket Wireless as Official Wireless Partner of Chicago’s Big Ten Team™
~ Expanded Partnership Will Enhance Overall Game-Day Experience for Northwestern Fans, Brings Significant Cricket Wireless Presence to Ryan Field and Welsh-Ryan Arena ~

San Diego – Feb. 29, 2012 – Cricket Communications, a leading provider of innovative and value-driven wireless services, today announced it has entered into a multi-year partnership with Northwestern University Athletics that will seek to strengthen Cricket’s emerging operational and marketing presence in Chicago.

As the Official Wireless Partner of Northwestern Athletics, Cricket Wireless’ extensive sponsorship will support new initiatives within the Northwestern Department of Athletics and Recreation, including a presenting sponsorship of Wildcat Alley, the interactive fan-fest area open several hours before the start of each home Football game.

Cricket will receive new signage and promotional assets at Ryan Field and Welsh-Ryan Arena, as well as additional media and on-site opportunities. The partnership will also support Northwestern University’s annual Dillo Day celebration by making Cricket a presenting sponsor of its evening headliner act.

“We’re excited to expand our relationship with the dynamic Northwestern University community, helping unite students and the larger Evanston and Chicagoland area around athletics and the celebration of music,” said Al King, area vice president for Cricket Communications, Chicago. “As the only Big Ten university in Chicago, partnering with such an esteemed academic institution in order to support athletics and the student population provides Cricket with the opportunity to expand our level of commitment to the community.”

“On behalf of Northwestern Athletics, we are absolutely thrilled to have Cricket Wireless enhancing its support of our athletic programs and student-athletes,” said Jim Phillips, Director of Athletics and Recreation at Northwestern University. “As Cricket Wireless continues to make significant advancements in the marketplace, we are extremely grateful it has chosen Northwestern as one of its cornerstone marketing partners.”

About Cricket
Cricket is the pioneer of simple and affordable unlimited wireless services with no long-term commitments or credit checks required serving approximately 5.9 million customers. Cricket products are available nationwide. Cricket offers wireless voice and broadband Internet services over the latest technology, high-quality, all-digital 3G CDMA2000 1X and 1xEV-DO wireless network. Cricket’s nationwide wireless voice service plans include unlimited anytime minutes, unlimited U.S. long distance, unlimited text and picture messaging, unlimited text to Mexico, unlimited Mobile Web, unlimited directory assistance, as well as a variety of calling features and feature-rich mobile applications such as popular games, ringtones and wallpapers. For more information on Cricket, visit www.mycricket.com. Cricket is offered by Leap Wireless International, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, Calif. For more information on Leap, visit www.leapwireless.com.

About Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern University sponsors 19 varsity athletics programs. A charter member of the Big Ten Conference dating to 1896, 17 of the Wildcat sport programs compete in the Big Ten with women’s lacrosse competing in the American Lacrosse Conference while women’s fencing is a member of the Midwest Conference. Northwestern perennially ranks among the top 50 schools in the nation in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup, paced by the 2011 women’s lacrosse team’s sixth national championship in the last seven years. Also of note, the football program has appeared in three straight bowl games while the men’s basketball program also has advanced to postseason play each of the last three years. A total of 20 Wildcat student-athletes earned All-America accolades a year ago while 53 notched All-Big Ten distinction.

Off the field, Northwestern student-athletes excel in both the classroom and the community. The 19 programs combined to post a school-record 201 Academic All-Big Ten selections along with 51 Big Ten Distinguished Scholars and two Capital One Academic All-Americans last academic year. Northwestern student-athletes volunteered over 6,000 hours of combined community outreach in 2010-11.