Dr Pepper Named Official Soft Drink of Amateur Athletic Union

PLANO, Texas, April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr Pepper, a leading brand in the beverage portfolio of the Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), today announced an agreement to become the official soft drink of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU).

Through the two-year agreement, CSAB will work with AAU to develop joint branding initiatives that tie CSAB to amateur sporting events that draw more than 70 million participants and spectators throughout the country each year.

"The AAU is an organization that for more than a century has opened pathways for young athletes looking to bring their game to a higher level in a wide range of sports," said Gil Cassagne, CSAB president and CEO -- and a former AAU wrestler. "We are very proud to support the AAU and its ongoing mission to promote good sportsmanship, citizenship and fitness."

Robert Paul Sign, Chairman of the Board, AAU Global Foundation, said, "We are excited about the value Dr Pepper is bringing to AAU. As official soft drink, Dr Pepper is playing a vital role in helping us develop and cultivate current and future generations of outstanding athletes to carry on the tradition of excellence in American amateur sports."

About Dr Pepper

Dr Pepper is a leading brand in the beverage portfolio of Plano, Texas- based Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB), a subsidiary division of Cadbury Schweppes plc (NYSE: CSG) . CSAB is one of the largest producers of soft drinks and premium beverages in the Americas. CSAB's brand portfolio includes Dr Pepper, 7UP, Snapple, Mott's Apple Juice, RC Cola, A&W Root Beer, Sunkist Soda, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch, Schweppes, Diet Rite, Slush Puppie frozen drinks, Clamato, Mr & Mrs T Mixers, Holland House Mixers, Rose's, Mistic, Yoo-hoo, Orangina, IBC, Stewart's, Nantucket Nectars and other well- known consumer brands. For additional information on CSAB and its products, visit http://www.cadburyschweppes.com/csab .

About the AAU

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer, sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.

The AAU was founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in amateur sport. During its early years the AAU served as a leader in international sport representing the U.S. in the international sports federations. The AAU worked closely with the Olympic movement to prepare athletes for the Olympic games. After the Amateur Sports Act of 1978, the AAU has focused its efforts into providing sports programs for all participants of all ages beginning at the grass roots level. The philosophy of "Sports for All, Forever," is shared by nearly 500,000 participants and over 50,000 volunteers. The AAU is divided into 57 distinct Associations. These Associations annually sanction more than 34 sports programs, 250 national championships, and over 30,000 age division events.

Programs offered by the AAU include: AAU Sports Program, AAU Junior Olympic Games, AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award, and the AAU Complete Athlete Program. In addition, the President's Challenge program is administrated on behalf of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.