SMITHFIELD, Va., Jan. 04, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Eckrich, the maker of naturally hardwood smoked sausage and savory deli meats, will welcome the final winner of its season-long Road to the National Championship sweepstakes, Matt Motyl of Chicago, Ill., before the College Football Playoff National Championship for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to win $1 million as part of the brand’s $1 Million Challenge.
Motyl will attempt to complete a 20-yard throw through a target to win the ultimate million-dollar prize, courtesy of Eckrich. Viewers can tune in to College Football Live on ESPN this Monday, January 8 at 1:30 p.m. EST to see if Motyl walks away a winner.
“I couldn’t be more excited to have this opportunity to take part in the Eckrich $1 Million Challenge,” said Motyl. “I’ve been a consumer of the Eckrich brand for a long time and when I saw the sweepstakes I had to enter. My mother’s home has been significantly damaged in back-to-back years by Hurricanes Matthew and Irma and nothing would make me happier than to make this throw and be able to help her get back on her feet.”
ESPN “College GameDay” analyst and longtime Eckrich partner Kirk Herbstreit will also be on hand to help Eckrich honor and thank school teachers nationwide. Entering his tenth year as an Eckrich ambassador, Herbstreit will attempt a throw following Motyl to result in a $1 million donation to benefit the CFP Foundation’s Extra Yard for Teachers, the charitable arm of the College Football Playoff. Teachers of the Year from across the country will be on hand to cheer him on.
“I’m really grateful that Eckrich has chosen Extra Yard for Teachers as the recipient for my challenge throw at the national championship game,” said Herbstreit. “Many teachers played a pivotal role in my development over the years, and they are at the forefront in developing and educating our students and future leaders across the country.”
“We are humbled and grateful for the opportunity to partner with Eckrich in their support of Extra Yard for Teachers,” said CFP Foundation Executive Director Britton Banowsky. “The impact from this wonderful event will help teachers meet the needs of their students in Atlanta and all over the country while continuing to raise awareness for the Extra Yard for Teachers platform.”
These two throws will mark the culmination of the Eckrich Road to the National Championship sweepstakes that launched in summer 2017. Throughout the college football season, 21 lucky fans won the opportunity to throw for $1 million at some of the biggest college football games of the year, including the College Football Playoff National Championship.
For more information and game-day recipe inspiration, visit www.EckrichFootball.com.
Eckrich is a brand of Smithfield Foods.
About Eckrich
Founded by Peter Eckrich in 1894, Eckrich has a rich heritage starting from a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Ind. Through it all, Eckrich meats have been recognized for their great taste and supreme quality, craftsmanship, care and pride. For more information, visit www.eckrich.com.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $15 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Smithfield, EckrichⓇ, Nathan's FamousⓇ, FarmlandⓇ, ArmourⓇ, Farmer John®, KretschmarⓇ, John MorrellⓇ, Cook'sⓇ, GwaltneyⓇ, CarandoⓇ, MargheritaⓇ, Curly'sⓇ, Healthy OnesⓇ, MorlinyⓇ, KrakusⓇ and BerlinkiⓇ. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.
About the College Football Playoff Foundation and Extra Yard for Teachers
The College Football Playoff (CFP) Foundation is the charitable arm of the College Football Playoff, supporting education across the country. The CFP Foundation’s primary platform, Extra Yard for Teachers, elevates the teaching profession by inspiring and empowering teachers through the implementation of programs in four focus areas: resources, recognition, recruitment and professional development. The CFP Foundation utilizes multiple partnerships to execute its initiatives and support positive educational outcomes. To learn more, visit www.cfp-foundation.org and follow Extra Yard for Teachers (@CFPExtraYard) on social media.
Media Contact:
Hunter PR for Eckrich
Melody Palatucci
(212) 679-6600
mpalatucci@hunterpr.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6eafd08f-958f-41b8-bd38-1389731a4408