SPONGEBOB HAPPY SQUARED SWEEPSTAKES
OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO PLAY OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. MANY WILL ENTER, BUT ONLY A FEW WILL WIN.
THE SPONGEBOB HAPPY SQUARED SWEEPSTAKES ("SWEEPSTAKES") BEGINS AT 12:01 A.M. EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME ("EDT") ON September 1, 2009 AND ENDS AT 11:59 P.M. EASTERN STANDARD TIME ("EST") ON March 1, 2010 ("ENTRY PERIOD").
1. SPONSOR: MTV Networks, 1515 Broadway, New York, NY 10036.
2. ELIGIBILITY: Sweepstakes is open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and Provinces and Territories of Canada, (excluding Province of Quebec) age six (6) or older at time of entry ("Entrant"). Employees and their immediate families of Sponsor, respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotion agencies are not eligible. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. Void in Quebec and where prohibited by law. Sweepstakes governed by US and Canada law. All Entrants (or his/her parent or legal guardian ("Parent") if entrant is considered a minor in his/her state, province, or jurisdiction of residence ("Minor")) agree to be bound by these Official Rules and decisions of Sponsor and the independent judging agency which shall be final and binding. Entries submitted by a Minor must have his/her Parent's permission prior to entering the Sweepstakes. Please see Sponsor's Privacy Policy for further information about its practices with respect to collecting information from children under the age of thirteen. Lost, late, illegible and postage due entries are not eligible. Reproduced entries of any kind will automatically be disqualified. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.
3. OBTAINING AN OFFICIAL GAME PIECE: To play you will need to obtain An Official game piece ("Game Piece") with a Sweepstakes access code ("Access Code"), found in selected SpongeBob SquarePants products distributed in the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and Canada during the Entry Period. Some products may contain the Access Code only. Or, you may also obtain one (1) free Game Piece and a copy of the Official Rules by mailing a self-addressed stamped envelope (Vermont residents may omit return postage) and mailing it to: SpongeBob Happy Squared Sweepstakes Game Piece Request, P.O. Box 546, Tenafly, NJ 07670. Requests for a free Game Piece must be postmarked by March 1, 2010 and received by March 8, 2010. Limit: One (1) Game Piece request per outer envelope. If you are a Minor you must have your parent or legal guardian legibly print his/her name, your name, complete street address, phone number, your date of birth and sign his/her name consenting to Sponsor sending you a Game Piece on a 3"x 5" card and mail it with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the address above, in a properly stamped envelope.
4. HOW TO ENTER: To enter, visit www.spongebobhappysquared.com during the Entry Period, as designated above, and follow all on screen instructions to register using the Access Code printed on the Game Piece. Upon entering a valid Access Code, you will be linked automatically to the Sweepstakes page. Follow the onscreen instructions on the Sweepstakes page to receive one entry into the Sweepstakes drawing. If you obtain your Game Piece or Access Code from a SpongeBob product, you must enter the Sweepstakes by 11:59 P.M. (EST) on March 1, 2010. If you obtain your Game Piece by mail, you must enter the Sweepstakes by 11:59 P.M. (EDT) on March 15, 2010.
Use of any automated system to submit entries (other than the computer) is prohibited and will result in disqualification. In the event of a dispute as to any online entry, the authorized account holder of the email address used to enter will be deemed to be the Entrant. The "authorized account holder" is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Potential winners may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder.
No responsibility is assumed for lost, mutilated, misdirected, incomplete, illegible or postage due prize claims/entries or requests for free game pieces. Game Pieces that contain printing errors, are tampered with, illegible, mechanically reproduced, distributed where prohibited by law or not obtained through regular channels will be deemed null and void. Liability for any irregular Game Piece will be limited to replacement with another.
4. SWEEPSTAKES DRAWING: Entrants are automatically entered into the Sweepstakes when they enter a valid Access Code and follow all the on screen instructions. Potential Grand Prize Sweepstakes winner will be selected from among all eligible online and mail in entries submitted during the entire entry period. Seven (7) Secondary Prize winners will be selected each week for 26 weeks from among all eligible online and mail in entries submitted during the twenty-six weekly entry periods. If a potential sweepstakes winner is a Canadian entrant, prior to being declared a winner, they will be required to correctly answer, unaided and without mechanical or electronic assistance, a time-limited, mathematical skill-testing question, to be administered by telephone at a mutually convenient time. If the selected participant is unable to correctly answer the skill-testing question, cannot be reached by telephone within (30) days of the drawing, or otherwise does not meet all sweepstakes conditions, his or her prize claim will be forfeited and another entrant will be drawn from the remaining eligible entries. Odds of winning a prize in the Sweepstakes Drawing are determined by the total number of eligible entries received during the respective entry period.
An Entrant is not a winner unless and until Entrant's eligibility and the potential winning play has been verified and entrant has been notified that verification is complete. Sponsor will not accept screen shots or other evidence of winning in lieu of its validation process. Any play that occurs after the system has failed for any reason is deemed a defective play and is void.
5. SWEEPSTAKES PRIZES:
Grand Prize (1): Winner will receive a trip for four (4) to Nickelodeon Hotel and Resort in Orlando, Florida. Includes roundtrip coach air transportation to and from airport nearest to winner's residence and hotel accommodations (two-bedroom (2) suite for a family of four (4) occupancy), for seven (7) nights. Trip also includes one character breakfast for family of four with a SpongeBob character and four (4) tickets to the "Bikini Bottom Bash" event. Approximate Retail Value ("ARV") of trip: $2,000.00. Grand Prize also includes LeapFrog products consisting of a Tag Reading System with SpongeBob Book (ARV: $64), Leapster2 Learning System with SpongeBob Game (ARV: $85) and a Didj Custom Gaming System with SpongeBob Game (ARV: $100). Actual Retail Value of trip depends on city, date and time of departure. Any difference between the ARV and actual value of prizes stated will not be awarded. All travel is based on air and hotel availability at time of booking. Travel must originate in the United States or Canada. A minimum of thirty (30) days advance booking is required. Travel and hotel subject to availability, blackout dates and other restrictions. Hotel accommodations do not include meals, incidentals, tips, telephone calls, travel insurance or any other personal expenses incurred by winner and travel companions during the trip. Travel must be taken by November 1, 2010. Ground transportation to and from airport and meals are not included. Winner and travel companions are responsible for getting from winner's and travel companions' residences and hotel to departure points at their own expense. A guest who is a minor must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and such person must pay his/her own expenses unless determined to be one of the guests. Additional restrictions apply. Travel guests of a travel prize winner (and if any guest is a minor, his/her parent or legal guardian) must sign and timely return a notarized travel Release of Liability and except where prohibited, Publicity Release prior to issuance of travel documents. It is the responsibility of the winner and his/her travel companions to arrive at the designated U.S./Canadian gateway city in time for their flights, with proper travel documentation, including passports or visa, if necessary. Certain travel and security restrictions may apply to travel generally and to the winner and his or her companions specifically. The trip will be arranged at Sponsor's sole discretion. Trip must be taken within the time period stated herein, or prize will be forfeited in its entirety without compensation of any kind. It is the responsibility of the winner and his or her companions to comply with all travel, security and other laws, regulations, airline passenger, hotel and other rules that may apply to them. Total value of Grand Prize is approximately $2,249.
Secondary Prizing (182) (seven per week): Winner will receive one (1) reward pack of four (4) individual SpongBob products. ARV of individual products in reward packs are as follows: SpongeBob SquarePants Colorfelts Play Board (ARV: $15.99); SpongeBob SquarePants edition of UNO® Card Game (ARV: $5.99); SpongeBob SquarePants Dominoes and Bingo games in a tin (ARV: $10.00); SpongeBob SquarePants Trading Cards (Premiere Edition) (ARV: $1.99/pack).
All prize claims are subject to verification by, Promotional Resources Group, Inc. who will conduct the Sweepstakes Drawing, an independent judging organization whose decisions are final. The Sweepstakes Prize Drawing will be random and conducted on or about April 15, 2010.
6. PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN OPT-OUT: The Parent of each child registering to enter who is under the age of 13 will be sent a notification e-mail advising him/her of the child's interest in entering the Sweepstakes and requesting the Parent 's permission to allow the child to enter and Sponsor to collect certain limited personal information from the child necessary for the administration of this Sweepstakes. Upon confirmation of the parent or legal guardian's permission, the child will be allowed access to enter the Sweepstakes. Please see Sponsor's Privacy Policy for further information about its practices with respect to collecting information from children under the age of 13.
7. WINNER NOTIFICATION: All potential winners will be notified and/or verified by email and/or mail within thirty (30) days of the Sweepstakes Prize Drawing. Winners (at the Sponsor's discretion) may be required to complete and return an Affidavit or Declaration of Eligibility & Liability/Publicity Release ("Prize Notification Documents"), which must be executed and returned within seven (7) days of date printed on notification or winner is disqualified. If winner is a Minor, his/her prize may be awarded (at Sponsor's discretion) in the name of winner's Parent, who may be required to execute and return an Affidavit or Declaration of Eligibility & Liability/ Publicity Release ("Prize Notification Documents") on potential winner's behalf. If applicable, the Parent of Prize winner may be notified once via email with instructions to respond with the winner's primary residence address (street addresses only-no Post Office boxes) in order to ship the prize or mail the Prize Notification Documents. If the Parent of the potential Sweepstakes winner fails to respond within seven (7) days, or if the email attempt is returned as undeliverable for any reason, an alternate winner will be selected at random from among all remaining eligible entries. Entrants, or their Parent, is responsible for notifying Sponsor of changes in email and/or home addresses. When the mailing address has been obtained from the Parent, he/she will be notified by mail. Sweepstakes prizes will be awarded approximately thirty (30) days after verification and/or Sweepstakes prize notification. No substitutions for any prize except as may be necessary due to unavailability, in which case a prize of equal or greater value will be awarded at the Sponsor's discretion. Prizes are not transferable (except to a surviving spouse) or redeemable for cash. The winner and/or minor winner's Parent must provide all government required tax reporting information, such as his/her Social Security Number, and will be issued income reporting forms, as required by law. Winner will be issued a FORM 1099-MISC or other applicable tax documentation. All United Sates and Canadian federal, state, provincial, territorial or local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner and/or minor winner's Parent. It is recommended that the potential winner consult with his/her tax advisor as to the tax consequences of accepting the prize. The total ARV of all prizes in the Sweepstakes: $8,431.54.
8. RELEASE AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: By participating in the Sweepstakes, Entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor, participating promotional partners, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents (the "Released Parties") from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of any prize including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Sweepstakes; (b) technical errors related to computers, servers, providers, or telephone or network lines; (c) printing errors; (d) errors in the administration of the Sweepstakes or the processing of entries; (e) late, lost, or undeliverable mail; or (f) injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant's participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt of any prize. Entrant further agrees that in any cause of action, the Released Parties' liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Sweepstakes, and in no event shall the Released Parties be liable for attorney's fees. Entrant waives the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, extend or suspend this Sweepstakes should (in its sole discretion) virus, bugs, non-authorized human intervention, faulty transmission of entries, fraud or other causes beyond its control corrupt of affect the administration, security, fairness or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes. In such case, Sponsor may select the winner(s) from all eligible entries received prior to and/or after (if appropriate) the action taken by Sponsor. Sponsor is not responsible if Sweepstakes cannot take place or if (any) prize cannot be awarded due to travel cancellations, delays or interruptions due to acts of God, acts of war, natural disasters, weather or acts of terrorism. PRIZES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS," WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.
9. WINNERS LIST: For the name of the Sweepstakes Grand Prize Winner (available after June 10, 2010), send a self-addressed, stamped envelope by June 10, 2010 to: SpongeBob Happy Squared Sweepstakes Winner List, P.O. Box 413, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
10. Publicity: Except where prohibited, participation in the Sweepstakes constitutes each winner's (or his/her Parent's) consent to Sponsor's use of winner's name, likeness, voice, entry submissions, statements, biographical information and state/province of residence for promotional purposes in commerce and in any media worldwide without limitations and without further notice, payment or consideration.
11. General Conditions: Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with or attempting to tamper with the entry process or the operation of this Sweepstakes, the Web site, or any Web page or Web banner ad related to the Sweepstakes; to be acting in violation of the Official Rules; or to be acting in a non-sportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. Any attempt by any person to undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil law and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor's failure to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. If any provision of these Official Rules is determined by a court to be unenforceable, that provision shall be severed from the Official Rules and the remaining provisions shall be binding on Sponsor and Entrants. Any information collected for the Sweepstakes shall be used only in a manner consistent with the consent given by entrants at the time of the entry, in accordance with these Official Rules and with the Online Privacy Policy, which can be accessed at www.nick.com
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SpongeBob SquarePants created by Stephen Hillenburg