PROVIDENCE, RI –  American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco has announced that Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions, and its divisions Aaron’s and Progressive Leasing, will be the title sponsor of the American Athletic Conference’s 2018 Men’s and Women’s Basketball championships.
 
The 2018 Aaron’s American Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Championship will be held March 8-11 at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. The Amway Center played host to The American men’s tournament in 2016.
 
The 2018 Aaron’s American Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Championship returns to Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut for the fifth straight year, March 3-6.
 
“The American Athletic Conference is proud to partner with Aaron’s in the presentation of our men’s and women’s basketball championships,” Aresco said. “Our mission with our basketball championships is to create memorable and meaningful postseason experiences for our student-athletes, coaches and fans. This partnership with an outstanding company like Aaron’s enhances our ability to have a first-class event. Annually, our men’s and women’s basketball championships have been resounding successes and this year will be no different. We are proud and honored to welcome Aaron’s to The American.”
 
“Aaron’s is proud to support the American Athletic Conference’s 2018 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships where players will demonstrate their impressive and inspirational abilities,” said John Robinson, CEO of Aaron’s, Inc. “This Conference is invaluable to college athletes as they develop their leadership skills on and off the court and we’re confident they have bright futures ahead of them.”
 
As the title sponsor of both championships, Aaron’s will receive prominent exposure inside and outside the host arenas. Aaron’s also will be featured in The American’s print, radio and digital content in conjunction with the tournaments.
 
The partnership between the American Athletic Conference and Aaron’s is managed by IMG College, the exclusive multimedia rights holder for The American.
   
 
THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The American Athletic Conference (The American), a member of the NCAA, was reconstituted in 2013. With the conference office in Providence, Rhode Island, The American is comprised of the following institutions: UCF, Cincinnati, UConn, East Carolina, Houston, Memphis, Navy (in football only), USF, SMU, Temple, Tulane and Tulsa. Wichita State (basketball and Olympic sports) joined the Conference on July 1, 2017. Under the leadership of Commissioner Mike Aresco, The American sponsors 21 championships – 10 for men and 11 for women; is a member of the College Football Playoff; began new television partnerships with ESPN and CBS Sports in 2014; and has a marketing partnership with IMG College. For more information, please visit www.TheAmerican.org.
 
ABOUT AARON’S, INC.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), is a leading omnichannel provider of lease-purchase solutions. The Aaron's Business engages in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories through its 1,726 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada, as well as its e-commerce platform, Aarons.com. In addition, Progressive Leasing, a virtual lease-to-own company, provides lease-purchase solutions through approximately 27,000 retail locations in 46 states. Dent-A-Med, Inc., d/b/a the HELPcard®, provides a variety of second-look credit products that are originated through federally insured banks. For more information, visit investor.aarons.com, Aarons.com, ProgLeasing.com, and HELPcard.com.
 
 
ABOUT IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media, operating in more than 30 countries. The company manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is a leading independent producer and distributor of sports and entertainment media. IMG also specializes in sports training and league development, as well as marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions. IMG is part of the Endeavor (formerly WME | IMG) network.