Two Fords in the 2010 NCAA Men’s Frozen Tour

American manufacturer Ford announced today that its Executive Chairman Bill Ford will serve as co-chairman of the Detroit Local Organizing Committee for the Frozen Tour. Moreover, the Ford Transit Connect, recently named North American Truck of the Year, will serve as the official vehicle for the NCAA championship event, to be held on April 8-10 at Ford Field.

Bill Ford will oversee the committee’s activities and fundraising and host several events such as FanFest, open practices and Frozen Four Friday which feature the NCAA Division 1 Men's Ice Hockey award announcements.

"We believe that with the leadership of Bill Ford in the role of co-chairman, the 2010 Frozen Four at Ford Field will be a tremendous success," Tom Anastos, commissioner at CCHA, said in a release. "Not only is he an extremely successful and visionary businessman and committed civic leader, he also is a great sportsman and passionate hockey fan who loves the game of hockey and even plays the game himself."  

On the other hand, the Ford Transit Connect will serve as a "billboard on wheels" for the event, being decaled with a Frozen Four logo and ticket information, the CCHA crest and symbols of the 12 college teams participating in the CCHA tournament. In addition, it will also be used to transport the hockey gear.

"The Transit Connect's large side panels make it an ideal promotional tool for the Frozen Four," said Damoni Hurt, Transit Connect marketing manager. "It also is an excellent utility vehicle, with more than 135 cubic feet of cargo space and up to 1,600 pounds of cargo-carrying capacity. And it's more fuel efficient than other cargo vans, making it a cost-effective choice for road trips."  

Powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 engine with a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission, the Transit Connect delivers an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.