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Promoter/Sponsor of this Mad Ants Black History Month Student Essay Contest is Pacers Basketball Development, LLC d/b/a Fort Wayne Made Ants (“Mad Ants”), with an address of 1910 St. Joe Center Road, Suite 61, Fort Wayne, IN 46825. All entrants agree to be bound by the terms and conditions provided in these Official Rules as well as by all interpretations of these Official Rules by Mad Ants and by all other decisions of Mad Ants, including resolution of disputes in connection with this contest, which are final and binding in all matters relating to the Mad Ants Black History Month Student Essay Contest.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

No purchase necessary to enter or win a prize.  A purchase will not improve your chances of winning.

ELIGIBILITY

The Mad Ants Black History Month Student Essay Contest is open to legal residents of Indiana that are high school and middle school/junior high school students at schools in one of the following Indiana or Ohio counties: Allen, DeKalb, Steuben, LaGrange, Noble, Kosciusko, Whitley, Huntington, Wells, Adams, Wabash, Grant, Blackford, Jay, Williams, Defiance, Paulding, Van Wert and Mercer.  Employees and immediate families of employees (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) of 3Rivers Federal Credit Union, the BSU (as defined below), Mad Ants, Pacers Basketball, LLC d/b/a Indiana Pacers and Pacers Sports & Entertainment (“Pacers”), the NBA Development League, LLC (“NBADL”), the National Basketball Association and its Member Teams, NBA Properties, Inc. and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates and related entities, as well as each of the aforementioned parties’ respective directors, officers, owners, members, employees and agents are not able to enter or win.

ENTRY PERIOD

The Mad Ants Black History Month Student Essay Contest begins on Monday, January 13, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Fort Wayne time and ends on January 20, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Fort Wayne time (the “Entry Period”).

HOW TO ENTER

To enter, during the Entry Period entrants can go to https://pacers.formstack.com/forms/bhmcontest to obtain an official entry form.  Entrants should follow the entry instructions to complete the online entry form and submit the official entry along with the completed essay in accordance with the entry instructions at https://pacers.formstack.com/forms/bhmcontest.    Please refer to the official entry form for the question(s) that are to be addressed by the essay.  All essays must be at least 250 words and must not exceed 500 words.  All entrants must accurately complete all required fields or entry will be deemed invalid.  In order to participate you will need Internet access.  Limit one entry per person.  Multiple entries per person, including multiple entries by the same entrant using different e-mail addresses, will invalidate ALL entries submitted by that entrant for the entire Entry Period.  All entries must be received by Mad Ants by January 20, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Fort Wayne time.  All entrants must have their parent or legal guardian consent to their participation in this Mad Ants Black History Month Student Essay Contest.  Submissions will become the property of Pacers and may not be returned to the entrant.

The entry must not disparage any person or community and must be in good taste and Mad Ants may use its sole discretion to disqualify entries that do not comply.  Further, each entrant represents and warrants that his/her submission will not violate or infringe upon any rights (including but not limited to any intellectual property rights) of, or give rise to any claim by, any third party.  Each entrant further represents and warrants that his/her submission is his/her original work. Each entrant (and/or entrant’s parent or legal guardian) assigns to Mad Ants any and all right, title, interest and intellectual property rights, including without limitation any copyright in the essay submitted to Mad Ants for this contest and acknowledges that Mad Ants can display, use or modify said essay in any way without compensation to anyone or permission from anyone.

WINNER SELECTION

Two (2) winners total (one (1) winner from each division: high school and middle school/junior high school) will be selected from among all eligible entries received.  All submissions received will be reviewed (and winners will be selected) by a panel of judges with representatives from the Mad Ants and Purdue Fort Wayne Black Student Union (the “BSU”).  The judges’ decisions are final.  Submissions will be judged based on (a) excellence in content, (b) detailed research of the topic, and (c) clarity of composition.  Winners (or, if a winner is under 18 years old, winner’s parent or legal guardian) will be notified by phone or email on or about January 24, 2020.

In the event the winner cannot be contacted within 72 hours of the initial notification or declines the prize another winner may be selected based on the criteria described above from the eligible entries received.

It is the sole responsibility of the entrant to notify the Mad Ants if his or her contact information and/or e-mail address changes.  To do so, send an e-mail to rstevens@ftwaynemadants.com with the new contact information.  Mad Ants, Pacers and/or the NBADL, National Basketball Association and its Member Teams, NBA Properties, Inc. and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, owners, shareholders, members, employees sponsors, licensees, successors, assigns and agents are not responsible for lost, interrupted or unavailable network, server or other connections, miscommunications, failed phone or computer hardware or software or telephone transmissions or technical failures, garbled or jumbled transmissions or other errors of any kind, whether human, mechanical or electronic; including without limitation the incorrect or inaccurate capture of entry information online, or for lost, late, incomplete, damaged, destroyed, delayed, stolen, misdirected or illegible entries.  Entry materials/data that have been tampered with or altered are void.  Once submitted, entries become the sole property of Mad Ants and will not be returned.

Winners may be required to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release in order to collect the prize.  If the winner is under 18 years of age, the prize will be awarded in the name of the winner’s parent/legal guardian and said parent/legal guardian will be required to sign an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release in order to claim the prize.

PRIZE DESCRIPTION

There will be two (2) prize winners (one from each division).  Each prize winner will receive (i) a tablet device ($329 value);  (ii) four (4) tickets to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants vs. Canton Charge home basketball game on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne Indiana ($25/ticket value; $100 total value); and (iii) a specialized basketball with the winner’s name inscribed on it ($25 value).* Total retail value of each prize is $454. Total retail value of all prizes combined is $908.

*If the winner is under eighteen (18) years of age, the prize will be awarded in the name of the winner’s parent/legal guardian. 

The winning prize is non-transferable to any other person, including relatives or friends. The name of the winner can be obtained by writing “Mad Ants Black History Month Student Essay Contest” c/o Fort Wayne Mad Ants, 1910 St. Joe Center Road, Suite 61, Fort Wayne, IN 46285.  If the winner is under eighteen years of age, the prize will be awarded in the name of the winner’s parent/legal guardian and said parent/legal guardian will be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and publicity release in order to claim the prize.

Prize winner and his/her guest(s) must agree to comply with all NBADL venue rules and regulations relating to the use of NBADL regular and post-season tickets (as applicable) and, in accordance therewith, agree not to act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with any intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person at such game.  Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of prize or prize element. If any tickets are awarded to a minor they will be required to bring a parent or legal guardian to the game awarded as part of the winning prize.

TAXES

The prize winner is solely responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes and any expenses associated with the contest, unless otherwise indicated.  No substitution, cash equivalent or transfer of prize permitted except at the Mad Ants option for a prize of comparable or greater value.

RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

By entering, each entrant agrees to follow the Mad Ants Black History Month Student Essay Contest Official Rules and forever releases, discharges, and waives any and all claims, liabilities and actions of any kind, howsoever caused or arising and whether by negligence, any intentional act or otherwise, that entrant may have or that may arise against 3Rivers Federal Credit Union, BSU, Facebook, Instagram, Mad Ants, Pacers, NBADL, and/or  the  National Basketball Association and its Member Teams, NBA Properties, Inc. and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates and related entities, as well as each of the aforementioned parties’ respective directors, officers, owners, shareholders, members, employees, representatives,  successors, assigns and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”), with respect to or arising out of either (i) entrant’s participation; or (ii) the receipt or use of the prizes (including but not limited to the substitution or changing of any prizing) awarded in the contest.  By entering, each entrant further agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Released Parties and their insurers against any and all damages, costs, judgments, and/or expenses (including but not limited to attorneys’ fees and/or other legal fees) they may incur as a result of claims made against them in connection with either (i) entrant’s participation; or (ii) the receipt or use of the prizes (including but not limited to the substitution or changing of any prizing) awarded in the contest.  The provisions of this Release of Liability and Indemnification section specifically include, without limitation, any issues that may affect entrant’s high school and/or collegiate athletic eligibility and all entrants are solely responsible for knowing, understanding and complying with any and all high school and/or collegiate athletic eligibility rules and regulations affecting entrant.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with Facebook or Instagram.  You understand that you are providing your information to Sponsor and not to Facebook or Instagram.

PUBLICITY RELEASE:

Except where prohibited by law, in consideration for being permitted to participate in this contest and the opportunity to win the prizes offered in this contest, each entrant hereby agrees and consents, without further authorization, compensation or remuneration of any kind, to the use of the entrant’s name, likeness, voice, photograph, performance, personal statements and/or biographical information in any and all advertising, promotions and other publicity conducted by, BSU, 3Rivers Federal Credit Union, Mad Ants and/or Pacers, NBADL, the  National Basketball Association and its Member Teams, NBA Properties, Inc. and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, agents, licensees, successors and assigns.

CONTEST CANCELLATION, SUSPENSION OR MODIFICATION

Mad Ants reserves the right to cancel, modify or suspend the contest and/or change dates or prizes (to a prize of equal or greater value) relating to the promotion in case of schedule changes, acts of God, force majeure events, computer viruses, bugs, corruption or unfairness of the security or administration of the contest, or for any other reason at the sole discretion of the Mad Ants.

DATA COLLECTION

Mad Ants collects personal data from entrants when they enter the contest.  Personal data may include, but is not limited to, name, address, and email address.  Information collected from entrants is subject to Mad Ants’ Privacy Policy which can be found at http://www.nba.com/news/privacy_policy.html.

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED

Participation in this contest is void where prohibited.

Abbreviated Rules

  1. No purchase necessary.
  2. The Mad Ants Black History Month Student Essay Contest begins on January 13, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Fort Wayne time and ends on January 20, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Fort Wayne time. 
  3. To enter, during the Entry Period entrants must go to https://pacers.formstack.com/forms/bhmcontest to obtain an official entry form.  Entrants should follow the entry instructions to complete the online entry form and submit the official entry along with the completed essay in accordance with the entry instructions at https://pacers.formstack.com/forms/bhmcontest.  Please refer to the official entry form for the questions that are to be addressed by the essay.  All essays must be at least 250 words and must not exceed 500 words.  Limit one (1) entry per person. All entries must be received by Mad Ants by January 20, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.  All entrants must have their parent or legal guardian consent to their participation in this Mad Ants Black History Month Student Essay Contest.
  4. Two (2) winners total (one (1) winner from each division: high school and middle school/junior high school) will be selected from among all eligible entries received.  All submissions received will be reviewed (and winners will be selected) by a panel of judges with representatives from the Mad Ants and the Purdue Fort Wayne Black Student Union (the “BSU”).  Submissions will be judged based on (a) excellence in content, (b) detailed research of the topic, and (c) clarity of composition.  Winners (or, if winner is under 18 years old, winners’ parents or legal guardians) will be notified by phone or email on or about Friday, January 24, 2020.
  5. There will be two (2) prize winners (one from each division).  Each prize winner will receive (i) a tablet device ($329 value);  (ii) four (4) tickets to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants vs. Canton Charge home basketball game on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne Indiana ($25/ticket value; $100 total value); and (iii) a specialized basketball with the winner’s name inscribed on it ($25 value).* Total retail value of each prize is $424. Total retail value of all prizes combined is $908. *If the winner is under eighteen (18) years of age, the prize will be awarded in the name of the winner’s parent/legal guardian.
  6. To enter, must be a legal resident of Indiana or Ohio and a middle school/junior high school or high school student enrolled at a school in any of the following counties: Allen, DeKalb, Steuben, LaGrange, Noble, Kosciusko, Whitley, Huntington, Wells, Adams, Wabash, Grant, Blackford, Jay, Williams, Defiance, Paulding, Van Wert and Mercer (additional restrictions apply).
  7. The prize winner is solely responsible for all applicable federal, state and local taxes and any expenses associated with the contest, unless otherwise indicated.
  8. Void where prohibited.
  9. The odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  10. Write to Mad Ants Black History Month Student Essay Contest, c/o Fort Wayne Mad Ants, 1910 St. Joe Center Road, Suite 61, Fort Wayne, IN 46285 or log on to http://www-local.nba.com/fortwayne/mad-ants-black-history-month-student-essay-contest-official-rules/ for complete official rules.
  11. Promoter/Sponsor of this contest is Pacers Basketball Development, LLC d/b/a Fort Wayne Mad Ants, 1910 St. Joe Center Road, Suite 61, Fort Wayne, IN 46285.