INDIANAPOLIS, March 16, 2010 --NCAA March Madness^® is in full swing and it won’t be long before the teams are whittled down for the NCAA Men’s Final Four semifinal and national championship games. Gearing up for the excitement, today, AT&T and the NCAA announced iconic rock band Stone Temple Pilots will usher in the action-packed weekend by headlining the AT&T Block Party.  The Block Party is part of The Big Dance Concert Series – a free three-day music and entertainment festival held in downtown Indianapolis’ White River State Park, April 2 – 4.

The Stone Temple Pilots will kick off the concert series on Friday evening during the AT&T Block Party on opening night of The Big Dance, where music and basketball collide. As one of the first performances by the multi-platinum recording group in nearly ten years, Stone Temple Pilots will debut songs off its new self-titled “STONE TEMPLE PILOTS,” which will drop around the globe on May 25.  Stone Temple Pilots had 15 singles on the Billboard Top Ten and sold more than 35 million albums worldwide.

"We are all so excited about heading into Indianapolis! Glad to see they are hosting the NCAA finals again,” said Dean DeLeo, guitarist for Stone Temple Pilots. “It’s a great city they have there, and we dig the Colts, too!”

“AT&T is proud to sponsor STP and bring fans closer to one of the greatest rock acts of our time during The Big Dance,” said Jamie Kerr, senior manager, AT&T National Sponsorships. “And, we’re also giving fans a sneak preview of the four Naismith Trophy finalists beforehand by inviting them to ask these stellar student-athletes questions via SMS. It’s another way we’re connecting our customers with what matters most to them.”

The Naismith Preview Show allows fans special access through a text message Q&A session with the four finalists eligible for the Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T – one of the most prestigious awards in college basketball. The Naismith Preview Show takes place just before Stone Temple Pilots’ evening performance.

“The Big Dance celebration is a way to thank fans who come out to be part of  what’s certain to be an exciting  weekend during the NCAA Men’s Final Four,” said Greg Shaheen, NCAA senior vice president for basketball and business strategies.  “With plenty of free entertainment and award-winning acts performing against the backdrop of the gorgeous White River State Park in Downtown Indianapolis, visitors and locals alike are guaranteed a good time.”

White River State Park, site of The Big Dance, is conveniently located in downtown Indianapolis. The Park is home to numerous tourist attractions, including the NCAA^® Hall of Champions, a facility that features sports exhibits and displays while explaining the academic and athletic mission of NCAA student-athletes and the mission of the Association.  There will also be a variety of new exhibits during the Men’s Final Four such as a vintage exhibit highlighting some of the best games throughout the history of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. 

For the latest news and tour dates for Stone Temple Pilots, please visit: http://stonetemplepilots.com.   

More information on The Big Dance and all NCAA Men’s Final Four events and activities can be found at NCAA.com/finalfour.

About the NCAA

 The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.  The NCAA is proud to have the following elite companies as official Corporate Champions—AT&T , Capital One and Coca-Cola—and the following elite companies as official Corporate Partners—Enterprise, The Hartford, Hershey’s, LG, Lowe’s, Planters and State Farm.