April 7, 2006
HOW TO ENTER
ENTRY: Go to www.today.msnbc.com and complete the Official Entry Form, including your name, address, phone numbers, email address, employer, job title, and length of employment. You must also complete an Essay in 150 words or less answering the question: “Why do you deserve the day off from your job?” and e-mail your Video according to the instructions on the web site and as outlined below. For your Video submission to be valid, you must acknowledge reading, accepting, and agreeing to the terms as set forth in these Official Rules. All online entries must be received by 5 PM ET on April 19, 2006.
VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS: Create a video that you think shows why you should win the “Today Freedom from Your Job” Contest. Your Video should be exciting, compelling, engaging and can include, but is not limited to, showcasing your day at work and why you deserve a day of freedom. You may submit your video from your cell phone by emailing the video from your phone or computer to mobile@nbcuni.com, (instructions can be found on the site).The video file should be less than one minute long and no larger than 8 MB. Please note that your carrier’s messaging rates will apply for cell phone Video submissions.
YOUR ID: Whether you send your video from your cell phone or from your computer, you must (a) insert the same name you used in your Entry Form in the body of your message and (b) include your name as the title of the Video.
Your Essay and Video must be original, truthful and unpublished, must not have been submitted in any other competition, and must not infringe upon any rights of any third party, including but not limited to copyright, trademark, and rights of privacy and publicity. You must have the permission of all persons appearing in your Video for you to submit your Video and permit NBCU to use the Video and such appearances as set forth in these rules. By entering you grant TODAY and NBC Universal, Inc. (“NBCU”) a non-exclusive, perpetual license to use your Video and Essay (in whole or in part or modified in NBCU’s sole discretion), including the appearances contained in the Video, for use in all media now known or hereafter devised, including without limitation on the TODAY show and any promotions for the show and on the NBC MOBILE cell phone service. Your entry will not be acknowledged or returned.
Limit one submission. Multiple submissions received from any household will void all such additional entries. Submissions that are incomplete, illegible, postage due or corrupted are void and will not be accepted. All submissions must be received by 5 PM ET on April 19, 2006, but please note that submissions will be reviewed and selected on a rolling basis as they are received.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The entrant must be a legal United States resident physically residing within the United States (residents of Puerto Rico and Guam are excluded from entry and participation) who is 18 years of age or older as of April 7, 2006. Employees of NBCU, MSNBC Cable, LLC, American Airlines and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (Royal Caribbean), their respective advertising and promotion agencies, their parent, subsidiary and joint venture companies, as well as members of their immediate families and households (including children, spouses and siblings and/or persons living in the same households as such persons (whether related or not)) are not eligible for consideration as entrants. Entrants must also be of good moral character. TODAY reserves the right to exclude anyone convicted of a crime (other than moving violations of a misdemeanor type that did not involve personal injury, drugs or alcohol). Entrants must have nothing in their background that would be an embarrassment to NBC News or TODAY, and entrants may not be elected officials or currently running for any political office (local, state or federal). TODAY reserves the right to exclude entrants for these or any other reasons, in TODAY’s sole editorial discretion. Prior to being considered a valid entrant, the individual must agree to undergo a background check conducted by TODAY and, if necessary, to sign waiver forms authorizing the release of personal and background information.
SELECTION OF THE FINALISTS
Employees of TODAY ("Judges") will review the qualifying entrants, and, at their sole discretion, may feature excerpts or entire submissions on today.msnbc.com and on TODAY. The Judges will select three finalists (each a “Finalist”) from among all eligible entrants. The selection and review process may occur by on a rolling basis as submissions are received, beginning on April 10, 2006, from eligible submissions received. The judges will select at their sole discretion the Finalists based on the following criteria: 25% creativity, 25% deserves a day off, 50% presentation. Judging will be based on the Essays and Videos, as well as optional telephone or personal interviews or other solicitations for more information that TODAY may elect to conduct with some or all potential Finalists. In the event of a tie, judges will break the tie by selecting the tied entrant with the most creativity. Each Finalist may be required to submit to a background check. All Finalists will be required as a condition of continued eligibility to complete and sign an Affidavit of Eligibility, Waiver of Liability, and Publicity Release (“Contest Documents”). If for any reason any of the Finalists do not meet any of the above eligibility requirements or do not satisfactorily execute all of the Contest Documents, at TODAY’s sole discretion, the Judges may select an alternate Finalist based on the above judging criteria. The decisions of the Judges are final and entrants must agree to be bound by these decisions. Entrants agree that TODAY may record and broadcast TODAY advising an entrant that he or she has been selected as a Finalist, at TODAY’s sole discretion.
Each Finalist will be contacted on or about April 23, 2006 at approximately 6-8 PM ET, and each Finalist must agree to make themselves available to accommodate trip dates specified below. Each Finalist must agree to keep in strictest confidence and not to disclose to any person, including other entrants, family members, or any other third party, any information whatsoever concerning the fact that they are potential finalists.
FINALIST COMPETITION ON TODAY AND WWW.TODAY.MSNBC.COM
Material about each Finalist selected at TODAY’s sole discretion will be posted at the TODAY Web Site at: today.msnbc.com. Viewers will then be asked to visit the TODAY Web Site at www.today.msnbc.com and vote for the Finalist they feel most deserves a day off. Each viewer may vote only once. Multiple entries from any email address will be voided.
The Finalist who receives the most votes by the date and time specified on the Web Site will be announced on TODAY currently scheduled for the first week of May 2006, but this is subject to change as necessary by TODAY. The Finalist may, in the sole discretion of TODAY, appear on the TODAY show on that date, and may, at TODAY’s discretion, be announced live during the broadcast of the show. If there is a tie (if two Finalists receive an equal number of votes by viewers), the Finalist will be selected based on a final interview by the Judges, and will be in the sole discretion of TODAY. If winner is disqualified or otherwise unable to fulfill the requirements asked of them, Sponsors reserve the right to pick an alternate winner from among the remaining Finalists, selected by TODAY in its sole discretion.
THE PRIZE
The Winner will receive: (1) Roundtrip airfare from closest major airport to winner’s home to New York City for winner and guest; (2) one night accommodations (one Interior Stateroom), double occupancy for Winner and guest on the Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas ship on May 11, 2006; (3) two nights hotel accommodations (single room, double occupancy) for Winner and guest in New York City on May 12, 2006 and May 13, 2006; (4) the chance to attend the TODAY Show live from the Freedom of the Seas on May 12, 2006, including the on board Barry Manilow Concert. Total approximate retail value of the prize is:$2,488.
Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a similar prize of equal or greater value at its sole discretion. All taxes and all other expenses, costs or fees associated with the acceptance and/or use of any prize are the sole responsibility of the Winner. This prize cannot be transferred by Winner or redeemed for cash and is valid only for the services detailed above, with no substitution of prize by Winner. Today show broadcast may be canceled or pre-empted at the sole discretion of TODAY. If the concert is canceled or postponed, or the show is pre-empted, that element of the prize will not be awarded. In the event this Contest is terminated before all prizes are awarded, if any prize is forfeited or unclaimed, if any prize notification is undeliverable, or in the event of non-compliance with any of these requirements, the prize will be forfeited and Sponsor will randomly select from remaining eligible entries an alternate winner for all remaining prize elements. Travel must commence on May 11, 2006 and must be completed by May 14, 2006. Certain blackout periods and travel restrictions may apply. Travel and hotel arrangements to be determined by Sponsor. Sponsor in its sole discretion, reserves the right to provide ground transportation in lieu of air transportation. Trip must be taken on dates and times designated by Sponsor or prize will be forfeited in its entirety and awarded to an alternate winner. Winner’s guest, if any, must complete a liability and publicity release which must be returned with Winner’s affidavit of eligibility and liability release, or the prize will be forfeited and alternate winner selected. All guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Other restrictions may apply. If only one person sails, the Winner will not receive compensation for the difference in value from the stated approximate retail value of such prize. Winner and guest will need to provide photo ID, driver's license number and date of birth at least 72 hours in advance of boarding the ship.
Acceptance of prize constitutes permission (except where prohibited) to use Winner’s name, hometown and likeness on TODAY and NBC for purposes of advertising, promotion and publicity without additional compensation. In the event that any prize component is unavailable for any reason, the remaining elements of the prize shall constitute full satisfaction of Sponsor’s obligation to winner and no additional compensation will be awarded.
TODAY further reserves the right to postpone or cancel the broadcast of the appearance for any reason, in the sole discretion of TODAY.
GENERAL CONDITIONS AND RELEASES
1. By entering, you agree to participate in telephone interviews with TODAY, to appear on the TODAY show or be filmed and photographed for the initial Finalist introduction, to perform the tasks as directed by TODAY, to permit a film crew to shoot footage of you and your home, and to travel to New York and make yourself available to appear on TODAY at TODAY’s discretion.
2. Except where prohibited, all issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and NBC in connection with the Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the state of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the state of New York, or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the state of New York. If any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to the Official Rules, or the breach of any term hereof, cannot be otherwise resolved, it shall be resolved by binding arbitration conducted in the County of New York, and administered by JAMS in accordance with its Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures or subsequent versions thereof (the “JAMS Rules”). The JAMS Rules for selection of an arbitrator shall be followed, except that the arbitrator shall be an experienced arbitrator licensed to practice law in New York.
DISCLAIMER
All entrants assume all liability for any injury or damages caused or claimed to be caused by their participation in this contest. All entrants release NBC Universal, Inc., American Airlines and Royal Caribbean and their respective advertising and promotion agencies, their parents, subsidiaries and joint venture companies, as well as their respective officers, directors, and employees, from any such liability.
Sponsors, or their respective advertising and promotion agencies, their parent, subsidiary and joint venture companies, as well as their respective officers, directors, and employees assume no responsibility for any injury (including but not limited to any personal injury that may occur while on NBC premises or during tasks performed in connection with this contest), damage or losses of any kind to any entrant, or to any entrant’s or other person’s computer, relating to or resulting from participating in this Contest, including downloading materials or software. Neither the Sponsors nor their respective advertising and promotion agencies, their parent, subsidiary and joint venture companies, as well as their respective officers, directors, and employees are not responsible for technical, hardware, software, or telephone malfunctions of any kind, lost or unavailable network connections, or failed incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications caused by the user or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this event or by any human error which may occur in the processing of the entries in this event. If for any reason the Contest is not capable of running as originally planned, or if the Contest or if infection by a computer (or similar) virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, actions by entrants, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes, in the sole opinion of Sponsors corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Contest, Sponsors reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual implicated in such action and/or to cancel, terminate, extend, modify or suspend the Contest, and select the Winner from all eligible entries received.
NBC and MSNBC Cable, LLC and Royal Caribbean are not responsible for errors or failures of any kind, for inaccurate transcription of entry information, for errors in any promotional or marketing materials, for errors in these rules, for any human or electronic error, or for entries that are stolen, misdirected, garbled, delayed by computer transmissions, lost, late, damaged, or postage due.
TODAY reserves the right to terminate the entry period prior to its scheduled end date and to choose among entries received prior to the date of such termination.
Entrants and the person who nominated them both agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of the judges whose decisions are final. Failure to comply with these rules may result in disqualification from this contest. NBC reserves the right to permanently disqualify any person it believes has intentionally violated these rules.
No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited or restricted by applicable federal or state laws and regulations.