Alltel Wireless, now part of Verizon Wireless, has launched a mobile sweepstakes campaign to promote its My Circle offering, giving basketball fans the opportunity to win tickets to some of the most exciting games this season.

The My Circle Hoops Getaway sweepstakes gives basketball fans the the chance to travel with their Circle of Friends via private jet to any regular season college or pro basketball game of their choice. Fans can enter the Alltel My Circle Hoops Getaway by texting the keyword JET to short code 57533 or by logging onto www.alltelbasketball.com.

"When we considered how best to activate our basketball assets, we considered Alltel's customer first philosophy and the attributes of the My Circle franchise," said Samira Zebian, director sponsorship marketing for Alltel, Little Rock, AR.

"This program allows us to leverage Alltel's sponsorship investments in both the pro and collegiate space," she said. "It also provides the same choice and control that is synonymous with the Alltel brand."

Five grand prize winners will be chosen to jet-set to the regular season game of their choice for a VIP gameday experience and a will receive Motorola Hint QA30, which includes a full QWERTY keyboard with dedicated keys for the 2-megapixel camera, MP3 player and Web access.

In addition, one lucky winner and their 10 friends will meet basketball legend Clyde Drexler during their trip.

Mr. Drexler, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame and one of the "Fifty Greatest Players of All Time," will sign autographs, pose for photos and spend quality time with a grand prize winner.

"The promotion provides basketball fans the unique opportunity to choose their ultimate VIP experience," Ms. Zebian said. "Instead of Alltel shaping their game day experience, each of the five grand prize winners will have total control over their destination.

"We simply provide the private jet to make their wildest road trip dreams a reality," she said.

As a wireless company, mobile marketing is a fundamental tactic to engage fans.

"At the program's most basic level, we provide fans with a means of entering the contest via text," Ms. Zevian said. "We also version the keywords to track the mediums that prove to be the most effective.

"This Txt2Win sweeps achieves multiple business objectives," she said. "First, it drives Alltel's data revenue. It helps us to increase brand awareness and consideration among switchers.

"It boosts our net promoter score among our existing customers and it also helps us engage our front line employees. Lastly, it reinforces the value proposition of the My Circle calling feature."