PLANO, Texas, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr Pepper awarded $180,000 in this year's Dr Pepper Million Dollar Challenge as contestants took the field during halftime of today's SEC, Dr Pepper ACC and Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship games and threw for their chance at $1 million. SEC contestant Jacob Aguillard won $70,000, while ACC contestant David Compton took home $60,000 and Billy Lane threw for $50,000 at the Big 12 Championship game.
"Dr Pepper is synonymous with college football and brings more to its fans with the Dr Pepper Million Dollar Challenge," said Andrew Springate, vice president of Dr Pepper marketing. "We are extremely pleased to present checks totaling $180,000 to the contestants and provide them with a unique opportunity to join in the excitement of today's games."
For their chance at $1 million, the contestants passed 10 balls from the 5-yard line into a two-foot target hole cut into an oversized Dr Pepper can replica within a 30 second time limit. Each successful pass netted $10,000. At the end of 30 seconds, they proceeded to the 20-yard line and tossed one single football into the large Dr Pepper can replica for the opportunity to multiply their winnings by ten.
Aguillard, a 29-year-old sales rep from Mamou, La., successfully tossed 7 footballs from the 5-yard line at the SEC Championship game taking home $70,000. Compton, a 35-year-old telecommunications specialist from Kannapolis, N.C., completed six passes from 5-yards to win $60,000. And, Lane, a 29-year-old from Oklahoma City, Okla., threw 5 footballs successfully from the 5-yard line at the Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship game earning $50,000.
College football greats, Mike Golic, Jay Barker and Gino Torretta provided expert tips to the contestants at the Big 12, SEC and ACC Championship games respectively. Golic, the former Notre Dame All-American who played professionally for the Miami Dolphins, Houston Oilers and Philadelphia Eagles; Jay Barker, led the University of Alabama to a national championship in 1992; and Gino Torretta, the former Heisman Trophy winner and college football standout coached the contestants in an effort to increase their chances of winning the $1 million.
Dr Pepper was the title sponsor of the ACC Championship in Jacksonville, Fla. and celebrated its 11th year as title sponsor of the Big 12 Conference Championship in Kansas City, Mo. The brand is also the exclusive presenting partner of the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, Ga.
About Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper is a leading brand in the beverage portfolio of Plano, Texas- based Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), a subsidiary division of Cadbury Schweppes plc . CSAB is one of the largest producers of soft drinks and premium beverages in the Americas. CSAB's brand portfolio includes Dr Pepper, 7UP, Snapple, Mott's Apple Juice, RC Cola, A&W Root Beer, Sunkist Soda, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch, Schweppes, Diet Rite, Clamato, Mr & Mrs T Mixers, Holland House Mixers, Rose's, Mistic, Yoo-hoo, Orangina, IBC, Stewart's, Nantucket Nectars and other well-known consumer brands. For additional information on CSAB and its products, visit http://www.brandspeoplelove.com/.
Contacts:
Jason Genthner
Dr Pepper
(972) 673-6688
