Nissan Will Lead Pace in Boston

Nissan North America will be the official and exclusive vehicle sponsor for the 2010 Boston Marathon. The agreement, announced today by The Boston Athletic Association, will include the three day John Hancock Sports and Fitness Expo and make Nissan the official pace vehicle for the Boston Marathon and Boston Athletic Association 5K.

Nissan will activate the partnership online through its sports marketing microsite called MastertheShift.com, where four premier Nissan Master the Shift athletes, share secrets and training tips through a series of videos. Olympic marathoner and American record holder in the half-marathon, Ryan Hall, will offer an inside look at his training regimen.

"Nissan is excited to be the official and exclusive vehicle of the 114th Boston Marathon, one of America's premier road races,"said Joel Ewanick, Vice President, Marketing, Nissan Division. "This partnership is a great way to bring our Master the Shift platform to the active lifestyle community and allows us to connect to consumers in a way that aligns Nissan with the passions of the runners."

"It's a privilege to have an outstanding company like Nissan as the exclusive vehicle sponsor of the Boston Marathon for the next two years,"said Guy Morse, executive director of the B.A.A. "It's a strong demonstration of the commitment that Nissan has in partnering with us at one of the top running events in the U.S. We look forward to showcasing Nissan's outstanding product line in a high-profile environment and working with them to achieve their marketing goals."

Nissan will have a booth at the Expo that will feature consumer activities, interactive games, giveaways and vehicle displays. In addition, Nissan vehicles will be fully integrated into the race's weekend events.

Nissan's Master the Shift program targets lifestyle enthusiasts at several high-profile running and cycling events nationwide.