Alumni Associations from College's Fiercest Rivalries to Raise $1 Million for Their Universities
CHICAGO and DENVER, June 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Cellar Angels today unveils its College Rivalry Uncorked (CRU) wine competition to pair alumni associations from college's fiercest rivalries in a unique online challenge to raise funds for the schools' alumni associations. It is an idea the company has worked on for nine months and will begin with the upcoming Rocky Mountain Showdown featuring the University of Colorado (CU) and Colorado State University (CSU).
"Our College Rivalry Uncorked fundraising competition gives alumni an opportunity to compete off the field to raise money for their university. And they get to do it by purchasing wine that can't be found anywhere else," said Martin Cody, Cellar Angels CEO and Founder. "Most of the alumni we've spoken with appreciate fine wine. This provides an opportunity to secure some great wine while supporting their alma mater."
Cellar Angels will leverage nearly two decades of relationships in the Napa Valley and Sonoma County wine regions and will personally select the wine for each online event. Alumni and supporters will have a time-sensitive opportunity to purchase a selection of six bottles of extraordinary wine in a customized commemorative wood case.
"There are at least a dozen very famous college football rivalries that have stood the test of time. Whether it's Notre Dame vs. Southern Cal, LSU vs. Alabama, Army vs. Navy, Harvard vs. Yale, Michigan vs. Ohio State or Oklahoma vs. Texas, the rivalry is as strong today as it was decades ago. There are hundreds of thousands of alumni at these institutions whose competitive spirit and school pride have not lessened since graduation," he said.
Especially noteworthy for the first event is Cellar Angels' selection of Kelham Vineyards—a high-end Napa winery whose wine is unavailable anywhere outside the winery.
Cellar Angels is a fast-growing wine marketing company currently featuring exclusive Napa and Sonoma wine purchasing opportunities, at a discount, to their members via the company's website www.cellarangels.com. Membership is free. Cellar Angels donates portions of proceeds to a charity partner the consumer selects.
For the College Rivalry Uncorked program these proceeds will be given to the university chosen by the purchaser. In addition, if all the box sets are sold Cellar Angels will match the winning university's contributions.
"Kelham Vineyards is an ultra-boutique, private high-end winery in Napa Valley with two brothers as the wine makers. They age their Cabernet Sauvignon an unprecedented nine years prior to release. And perhaps the best part is one brother went to CU the other to CSU. We're also excited about the custom hand-designed commemorative wood box being created specifically for this event. It will make a sensational addition to any cellar," said Cody. "We're already in discussions with a winery for the Notre Dame vs. USC match up and also Michigan vs. Ohio State."
The fund-raising event for University of Colorado vs. Colorado State will start August 1 and conclude at midnight August 28—the night before the game. To be included in this or future College Rivalry Uncorked opportunities, please register for free at www.cellarangels.com.
About Cellar Angels
Based in Chicago, Cellar Angels was created by a compassionate group of wine-lovers intent on truly changing the world through wine. Their mission is simple: connect small, artisanal wine producers to larger audiences, expose wine-lovers to exclusive purchase opportunities and raise money for a select group of charities. They love wine, love introducing others to great wine and love making a difference. Cellar Angels provides an opportunity to accomplish all three. For information, go to CellarAngels.com