Saatva Takes Center Court as Title Sponsor of 2024 Empire Classic College Basketball Showcase
The Smarter Luxury Sleep Company headlines the nationally-televised sporting event benefiting Wounded Warrior Project for the second year in a row.
Saatva, the Smarter Luxury Sleep Company, is pleased to announce its Title Sponsorship of the 2024 Empire Classic on November 24, 2024.
"We’re thrilled to sponsor this prestigious event once again, especially here in our hometown,” said Ron Rudzin, founder and CEO of Saatva. "It’s an honor to stand behind Wounded Warrior Project, a remarkable organization dedicated to empowering and supporting the brave men and women who have served our country.”
Founded in New York, Saatva was the first company to sell luxury, American-manufactured, made-to-order mattresses online. Its name, “Saatva,” is derived from the Sanskrit word meaning truth, purity, and wholeness, which guides the brand in everything it does. Unlike most online mattress brands, Saatva delivers and sets up all its products in the customer's home, creating an ultra-luxury and hassle-free buying experience. By selling directly to the consumer, Saatva is able to offer the highest quality at the best price.
This showcase-style event will be played on November 24, 2024, at the Prudential Center, home of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and the Seton Hall Pirates men's basketball team. The high-profile match-up will feature two perennial basketball powers, Villanova from the Big East Conference versus Maryland of the Big Ten Conference.
"We are delighted to welcome Saatva back as the Title Sponsor of the Empire Classic," said Rick Giles, President of the Gazelle Group, producer of the event. "We look forward to introducing college basketball fans to Saatva's made-to-order mattresses and luxury bedding products. With the arena located near Saatva’s new Paramus and New York City retail locations, Saatva will have a significant presence at New Jersey's premier arena and during the national TV broadcast on ESPN."
The Field:
This will be Villanova’s fourth appearance in the Empire Classic, and they have a 5-2 all-time record in the event, winning the championship in 2020. Kyle Neptune has the Wildcats on track to make their 10th NCAA Tournament in the past 11 years.
This will be Maryland’s fourth appearance in the Empire Classic, and they have a 7-3 all-time record in the event, winning the championship in 2006. Kevin Willard will add a top recruiting class to a young nucleus returning from last year’s team.
In the 2023 Saatva Empire Classic, the defending national champion UConn Huskies beat the Texas Longhorns and Indiana Hoosiers. The semifinals boasted the highest neutral site attendance of the college basketball regular season, with over 19,000 fans on hand. UConn's Saatva Empire Classic title paved the way to a 37-3 season and a second consecutive National Championship.
Learn more about the 2024 showcase here and follow along on X for the latest news and updates.
About the Gazelle Group:
The Gazelle Group (@Gazelle_Events) is a sports marketing firm, specializing in event production and management, client representation, and sponsorship consulting. Gazelle produces numerous nationally recognized college sports events, such as the Empire Classic, Legends Classic, Gotham Classic, Sunshine Slam, College Basketball Invitational, Holiday Face-Off, Deacon-Wolverine Challenge, Boardwalk Battle, Jersey Jam, and Holiday Hoopfest as well as on-campus events at Duke, Kentucky, Ohio State, Marquette and other institutions across the country. For more information on the Gazelle Group, please visit www.gazellegroup.com.
About Wounded Warrior Project:
Wounded Warrior Project (@WWP) is the beneficiary of the Empire Classic. With the mission to honor and empower Wounded Warriors, WWP is the hand extended to encourage warriors as they adjust to their new normal and achieve new triumphs. Offering a variety of programs and services, WWP is equipped to serve warriors with every type of injury – from the physical to the invisible wounds of war. For more information on the Wounded Warrior Project, please visit https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
About Prudential Center:
Prudential Center (@PruCenter) is the world-class sports and entertainment venue located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Opened in October 2007 and recently celebrating its 15th year as a marquee destination, the state-of-the-art arena is the home of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball program, and more than 210 concerts, family shows and special events each year. Ranked in the Top 5 worldwide by Pollstar, Billboard and Venues Today, Prudential Center is recognized as one of the premier venues in the United States, and hosts over 2 million guests annually. For more information about Prudential Center, visit https://www.prucenter.com. Prudential Center is a HBSE property.
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