November 4, 2022
Mercedes-Benz of Knoxville has announced a new name, image and likeness (NIL) deal with Tennessee football quarterback, Heisman-hopeful and fan favorite Hendon Hooker.
“Performance meets performance!” the dealership posted on Instagram, alongside an image of Hooker in a sleek loaned Mercedes GLE 53 SUV, part of the luxury SUV class. Hooker also posted on his Instagram: “Grateful to announce my partnership with our local elite dealership.”
Mercedes-Benz of Knoxville General Manager Jeff Bender, Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker and Mercedes-Benz of Knoxville Customer Assistance Manager Buck Arnwine celebrate their new NIL partnership.
Hooker will represent the Mercedes-Benz of Knoxville brand on social media and in ads. The agreement comes before the highly anticipated game this Saturday, Nov. 5, against the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens in a battle of unbeaten teams and highlights the value and influence that Tennessee’s athletes bring to businesses in Knoxville.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to work with Hendon Hooker, who is both a tremendous person and ambassador for Tennessee and an incredible student-athlete,” said Lee Ann Furrow-Tolsma, president and CEO of Furrow Automotive Group, which includes the Mercedes-Benz of Knoxville brand among others. “His energy and integrity on and off the field inspire not only his team and fan base, but also anyone who meets him.”
The NCAA passed legislation that took effect July 1, 2021, to allow student-athletes to benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness, which allows partnerships for everything from apparel to vehicles. Hooker leads Tennessee’s high-flying offense that has staked the Vols to an 8-0 record so far this season.
“We felt that a high-performance athlete deserved a high-performance car,” Furrow-Tolsma said. “Our team was ecstatic to be able to support Hooker and see him benefit from his hard work. We can’t wait to cheer him on this weekend and for the rest of the season. Go Vols!”
About Furrow Automotive
Furrow Automotive is the parent company of Knoxville Motor Company, Knoxville Motor Company BodyWerks, Mercedes Benz of Knoxville, Sprinter Knoxville, Land Rover Knoxville and the Chattanooga Auto Square. Known for excellence in customer service and dedication to the community, Knoxville Motor Company’s award-winning locations have proudly served Knoxville for over 107 years. Mercedes Benz of Knoxville is a MBUSA Best of the Best Award winner and a J.D. Power 2022 Platinum Dealer of Excellence.
The J.D. Power 2022 Dealer of Excellence ProgramSM recognition is based on achievement of high sores from automotive manufacturer customer research and completion of an in-dealership best practices verification visit. This dealership has achieved certification for 4 years total, achieving Platinum status. For more information, visit www.jdpower.com/US-DOE.
