Orchard Park, N.Y. - The Buffalo Bills announced today that the fifth annual M&T Bank Draft Day Challenge, where fans predict the Bills first selection of the NFL Draft, will begin Tuesday, March 29, 2011.
In the M&T Bank Draft Day Challenge, fans who correctly guess which player the Bills select first in the NFL College Draft will be entered to win a special prize package that includes:
-A Bills game day experience package for two with all-inclusive M&T Bank Club tickets, pregame field passes and a Bills Alumni meet and greet opportunity.
-A Buffalo Bills helmet for each winner.
There will be five winners randomly chosen from the pool of contestants who correctly pick the Bills first selection of the NFL Draft.
From March 29 to April 28, fans can visit buffalobills.com/draftdaychallenge to make their prediction. The contest is open to legal residents, 13 and older, of the following states: Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia
Last year's five winners who correctly picked the Bills first draft pick of 2010 were Marisa Bartz, Buffalo, Rob Balsamo, Webster, NY, Kathleen McGowan, Fairport, NY, Eric Cornavaca, Buffalo and Doug McAvoy, Penfield, NY. The winners were randomly chosen from a pool of 372 winners of the nearly 7,000 contestants that participated in the M&T Bank Draft Day Challenge last year.
"Our long-standing partnership with M&T Bank has been geared toward engaging Bills fans and the fifth annual Draft Day Challenge has always been a fan favorite," said Bruce Popko, Bills senior vice president of business development. "Each year the Draft Day Challenge has grown in popularity, and we are always excited to work with M&T to provide Bills fans with unique opportunities to engage with both of our brands."
"Bills fans know their football and the M&T Bank Draft Day Challenge gives those fans a chance to scout the draft and play along," said Peter J. Eliopoulos, M&T Bank chief marketing officer. "M&T has been a corporate sponsor of the Bills since 1985 and we always look for new ways to strengthen our relationship with the team, the players and fans."
M&T Bank is the official bank of the Buffalo Bills and the contest is a popular fan promotion of the partnership between M&T Bank and the Bills. The partnership also includes naming rights to the M&T Bank Club at Ralph Wilson Stadium and exclusive rights to offer specially designed Bills checks and debit cards.
M&T Bank, founded in 1856, is one of the top 20 largest U.S. commercial bank holding companies, with approximately $69 billion in assets. M&T Bank operates more than 725 branches and in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey and the District of Columbia. For more information, visit www.mtb.com.
