February 10, 2005 Aéropostale becomes the presenting sponsor of The BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Championship Providence, R.I.– Aéropostale, Inc., the official apparel sponsor of The BIG EAST Conference, has expanded the scope of its relationship with the league to become the presenting sponsor of The BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Championship, The announcement was made by BIG EAST Commissioner Michael Tranghese and Nelligan Sports Marketing, Inc., which exclusively represents the BIG EAST Corporate Sponsorship Program. The exclusive, three-year agreement begins with the 2005 BIG EAST Championship Presented by Aéropostale, which will be played at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 9-12. Every game of the tournament is televised nationally on ESPN or ESPN2. The deal also includes Aéropostale becoming the title sponsor of the weekly BIG EAST Radio Show, which is carried by ESPN Radio in New York and in other BIG EAST markets. Aéropostale will sponsor Tournament Flashback vignettes on BIG EAST basketball local and regional telecasts. Aéropostale and the BIG EAST have been partners since 2001. Aéropostale has sponsored all of the conference’s academic awards for graduate or professional school studies and has provided apparel items to all participants at men’s and women’s BIG EAST Championship events. Also, The Aéropostale/BIG EAST Executive Fellowship Program offers a qualified former student-athlete the opportunity to work at The BIG EAST Conference office to learn the essential elements of athletic administration. "We’re thrilled that Aéropostale has expanded its relationship with the BIG EAST to become the presenting sponsor of our men’s basketball championship," said Tranghese. "Aéropostale has been a cornerstone partner for us. They sponsor all of our academic awards and provide gifts for our student-athletes at BIG EAST championships. Now, they are part of one of our showcase events, the men’s basketball championship at Madison Square Garden in New York." The BIG EAST Championship has been a fixture in New York since 1983. It is the longest running college basketball postseason tournament held at the same site. "We have enjoyed our relationship as the Official Apparel Sponsor of the BIG EAST for the past four years," said Julian Geiger, Chairman of Aéropostale, Inc. "It is with great pleasure that we are able to take our association with the BIG EAST to the next level creating a partnership that will be mutually beneficial. Aéropostale has always supported collegiate academics and athletics, and The BIG EAST Championship is the perfect vehicle to expand our marketing and educational efforts." Aéropostale, Inc. (www.aeropostale.com) is a mall-based specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories that targets both young women and young men aged 11 to 20. The company provides customers with a selection of high-quality, active-oriented, fashion basic merchandise in a high-energy store environment. The company maintains complete control over the propriety brand by designing and sourcing all of its own merchandise. Aéropostale products can be purchased only in its stores, which sell Aéropostale merchandise exclusively. The first Aéropostale store was opened in 1987. The company currently operates 561 stores in 43 states.