VIZIO Unveils Nominees for Ninth Annual Top Value Performer Award and Invites Fans to Vote For Their Favorite Professional Football Player
Irvine, CA — January 5, 2016 — VIZIO, Inc. today announced nominees for its annual VIZIO Top Value Performer (TVP) award. For the ninth consecutive year, the VIZIO Top Value Performer award aims to recognize the professional football player whose on-field performance most exceeds the value of their annual base salary. This year’s TVP candidates include Cleveland’s Travis Benjamin, Minnesota’s Stefon Diggs, Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman, Jacksonville’s Allen Robinson and Buffalo’s Tyrod Taylor. Nominees are featured on VIZIO.com/TVP where fans have the power to decide the winner by casting votes for their favorite candidate.
For the third year, VIZIO partnered with pro-football analyst and former general manager, Charley Casserly, to determine this year’s top five nominees. Nominations for TVP award consideration were based on players’ regular season performances, statistics and role in the success of their respective teams. These factors were then measured against their annual base salaries to select the finalists.
Much like this season’s Top Value Performer candidates, VIZIO has established itself as one of America’s leading consumer electronics brands after emerging on the scene in 2002. With each new product, VIZIO continues a value driven approach, raising standards of quality, design, performance and customer service, resulting in a beautifully simple entertainment experience.
“We’re excited to bring the popular Top Value Performer program back for the ninth year to celebrate the dedication and season-long achievements of these impactful athletes,” said Lily Knowles, Vice President of Product Marketing, VIZIO. “The TVP award continues to be a fan favorite, giving sports enthusiasts the chance to drive attention and social media love for their favorite athletes across the league. We’re looking forward to another competitive race as the nominees rally on social media to garner support and encourage votes.”
VIZIO is calling on fans nationwide to choose the 2015 Top Value Performer by voting online at VIZIO.com/TVP from now, until January 19 th at 5:00p.m. ET. For an expert opinion on each candidate, fans can take a look at Casserly’s overview videos and browse through stats on the website highlighting the performance of the nominees this season prior to casting their votes. Following each vote, fans will have a chance to enter a sweepstakes to win a VIZIO M-Series 4K Ultra HD Smart TV. In addition, members of VIZIO’s online rewards program – VIZIO Fandemonium – will earn points for their votes, redeemable for prizes like signed memorabilia, VIZIO products, digital downloads and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. VIZIO will announce this year’s TVP winner in the weeks following the close of voting. No purchase is necessary and fans do not have to be a member of Fandemonium to enter the sweepstakes.
The 2015 VIZIO Top Value Performer nominees include:
Travis Benjamin // @TravisBenjamin3 // #TVPBenjamin // Cleveland // Wide Receiver #11
Wide Receiver Travis Benjamin is now in his fourth season and serves as both a versatile and valuable offensive player for Cleveland. Benjamin’s coaching staff relies heavily on his on-field production, which has placed him among league leaders in total receiving yards this season. With a base salary of only $660,000, Benjamin is a candidate worth considering for this year’s VIZIO TVP award.
Stefon Diggs // @stefon_diggs // #TVPDiggs // Minnesota // Wide Reciever #14
After being inactive for the first three contests of the 2015 campaign, Stefon Diggs entered week four and made an instant impact. Since then, he’s seized every opportunity and emerged as a reliable receiver on a strong Minnesota team. With multiple 100-yard games and explosive speed, Diggs is the focal point for opposing defenses each week. With a base salary of only $435,000, this rising star is a solid candidate for the TVP award.
Devonta Freeman // @devontafreeman // #TVPFreeman // Atlanta // Running Back #24
In only his second year, Devonta Freeman has burst onto the scene and made himself one of the most dominant running backs in the game. His quick, shifty feet and sharp football mind allow him to easily navigate the trenches and race towards the end zone for Atlanta. As one of the league’s leaders in total yards, and with a base salary of $510,000, he warrants consideration for this year's TVP award.
Allen Robinson // @Thee_AR15 // #TVPRobinson // Jacksonville // Wide Reciever #15
Second-year receiver Allen Robinson exploded into a top-caliber offensive weapon this season. Robinson is on pace for a 1,000-yard season, which would make him the first Jacksonville receiver in 10 years to achieve the benchmark. He’s quickly cementing himself as one of the brightest young players at a talent-rich position. His consistent play and $580,000 salary make him a strong candidate for VIZIO's TVP award.
Tyrod Taylor // @TyrodTaylor // #TVPTaylor // Buffalo // Quarterback #5
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor is an accomplished TVP candidate. Picked in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, Taylor spent four seasons as a backup in Baltimore, sharpening his skills before being traded. Upon arriving in Buffalo, Taylor used his strong work ethic and versatile skill set to rise to the top of the depth chart and earn his first starting opportunity. With a base salary of $750,000 and one of the best completion percentages in the league, Taylor makes a case for this year’s TVP award.
Previous TVP winners include wide receiver Kenny Stills (2014), quarterback Russell Wilson (2012 and 2013), wide receiver Victor Cruz (2011), wide receiver Stevie Johnson (2010), wide receiver Steve Smith (2009), quarterback Matt Cassel (2008) and quarterback David Garrard (2007).
About VIZIO
VIZIO’s mission is to deliver the ultimate entertainment experience through our community of connected consumers, advertisers and media content providers. Through our connected entertainment platform, VIZIO is transforming the way consumers discover and experience media content. Since our founding in California in 2002, VIZIO has built an industry-leading brand and sold over 65 million products, including televisions, sound bars and other devices. VIZIO has achieved significant U.S. market share and held the #1 unit share position in the U.S. sound bar industry 1 and the #2 unit share position in the U.S. Smart HDTV industry in 2014 2 . VIZIO product leadership is highlighted by a number of industry reviews and awards including a 2015 CNET Editors’ Rating of 4 stars for a review of our E-Series Smart TVs 3 , 2015 Editors’ Choice award from Reviewed.com for our M-Series 4K Ultra HD Smart TVs 4 and Sound & Vision’s Top Picks of 2014 for 42” and 54” Home Theater Sound Bar Systems. For more information, please call 888-VIZIOCE or visit www.VIZIO.com .
© 2015 VIZIO, Inc. VIZIO, the V Logo, VIZIO Internet Apps Plus, Active LED Zones and other terms and phrases are trademarks or registered trademarks of VIZIO, Inc. All other trademarks and logos are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
1 The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service, sound bar units sold in the U.S., January 2014—December 2014.
2 The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service, LCD TV units with Apps included and display resolution of 1336 x 768 and higher, total units sold in the U.S., January 2014—December 2014.
3 Visit cnet.com for the full 2015 VIZIO E-Series Review, published 6/6/15
4 Visit reviewed.com for the full 2015 VIZIO M-Series Review, published 6/29/15
Press Contacts for VIZIO:
Katie Kotarak
The Brand AMP
T: 949-438-1078
Jim Noyd
Noyd Communications Inc.
T: 310-951-3768
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