October 24, 2017

PLANO, Texas, Oct. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- From sporting our favorite players' jerseys to cheering on the home team from the sidelines, sports are an important part of American culture. However, while our most coveted sporting events attract national broadcast attention and home field audiences by the tens of thousands, others have yet to reach those levels of notoriety. Some sports are a favorite part of our everyday lives from the fantasy leagues to our popular Sunday routines, but there are others many of us know very little about. That's why Cheetos, one of the flagship brands from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division, and the expert in (cheese) curls, is shining a spotlight on another kind of curl, the sport of curling.

To help raise awareness for one of America's least participated in sports, with only about 20,000 member curlers according to USA Curling, Cheetos is partnering with an athlete from one of America's most followed sports to help educate and excite the nation about curling. Cheetos is enlisting pro football tight end and curling connoisseur, Vernon Davis, and teaming with USA Curling to announce the partnership and bring awareness to upcoming international competitions - or for those in the know the biggest stages for a bonspiel - and help the sport sweep the nation.

"I've been a huge fan of curling for years, watching and playing the sport for almost eight years now after a reporter in San Francisco suggested that I try it. But curling, and its incredible athletes, don't get the same appreciation and love as I do from my fans," said Vernon Davis, pro football tight end and curling fan. "That's why I'm excited to be teaming up with Cheetos and USA Curling this winter to teach the greatest fans on earth about this under-appreciated sport and get America pumped up."

"Vernon's support of curling has been simply outstanding, and with Cheetos and Chester Cheetah now supporting the team, the months ahead are sure to bring an influx of new curling fans," said Rick Patzke, CEO of USA Curling. "These are exciting times for all who are part of USA Curling, and the opportunity to join with Cheetos to rally America's support for curling is historic. Given this, we'll be happy to accommodate the occasional cleats, spotted fur and Cheetos dust on the ice."

How is Cheetos going to rally Americans around curling? Beginning today, Davis and the USA Curling team are joining Cheetos to encourage America to follow the team and their quest for greatness using #DoTheCurl. All fall and winter long, newly energized curling fans can follow the campaign on social to learn more about the sport and even witness some epic curling moves along the way.

"The Cheetos brand is built on playful fun. In partnering with USA Curling, we hope to infuse a little fun and a lot of fan support to ensure USA Curling gets the attention and support it deserves - in a way only Cheetos can," said Ryan Matiyow, senior director of marketing, Frito-Lay. "USA Curling is an amazing organization with talented athletes on its rosters. We look forward to supporting them and watching them compete this winter."

Fans can also expect more surprises from Chester Cheetah and his new teammates in the coming months as America rallies around Curling like a stone set in motion. To join the rally cry for USA Curling and get more information about upcoming activations, visit www.Cheetos.com and follow Cheetos' social channels:

Instagram: @Cheetos 
Twitter: @ChesterCheetah
Facebook: @Cheetos

About Cheetos
Cheetos is one of many Frito-Lay brands in North America - the $14 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate website, http://www.fritolay.com, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com and on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/fritolay. Learn more about Cheetos by visiting www.facebook.com/Cheetos.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com/.

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About USA Curling

USA Curling is headquartered in Stevens Point, Wis., and is the National Governing Body (NGB) for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling. As the NGB, USA Curling is committed to sustained growth of the sport through competitive excellence. To learn more, go to www.usacurl.org.

SOURCE Cheetos