December 4, 2008 (Pebble Beach, CA) Effective today, rider representative Michael “Murph” Murphy has formed The Syndicate, a new agency to represent motorcycle racers. The decision comes on the heels of a strategic review undertaken by Hardcard Holdings and Murph after working together in this area over the past year. “Given the current state of the economy and professional motorcycle road racing, we all agreed this strategy was in our respective best interests and those of the athletes we represent,” said Andy Leisner, Managing Partner at Hardcard. “We wish Murph every success in his new venture and know he will continue to do a good job for the athletes he manages”. “Starting my own management company is an ideal situation for me and I thank Hardcard for their efforts over the past year” said Murph. “The Hardcard partners have been great to work with and have some exciting projects in the pipeline that require their attention, so this solution works well for everybody.” Hardcard will continue to manage a limited number of athletes on a selective basis, including WMA/AMA Women’s Motocross Champion Ashley Fiolek and AMA Superstock Champion Aaron Gobert. The Syndicate will represent the other current Hardcard athletes moving forward. About Hardcard Hardcard Holdings, LLC, is a leading motorsports management and consulting firm specializing in motorsports and motorcycle-related marketing. Hardcard’s partners are VP/CEO-level executives with experience in management of racetracks, sanctioning bodies, brands, athletes, licensed merchandise, sponsorship development, race teams and publishing. Hardcard partners have worked with many companies that have used motorcycling as a marketing platform including: Toyota, Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, T-Mobile, Monster Energy, Progressive, Oakley and Fox Racing. Hardcard clients include Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Barber Motorsports Park, The Promotions Company, Red Bull, Axio, Campos Creative Works and Bell Helmets. For more information on Hardcard, see: www.hardcard.net. About The Syndicate Syndicate Athlete Management is an athlete-focused motorsports management and consulting firm specializing in a complete line of athlete services. Syndicate Athlete Management: Murph (Michael Murphy), Athlete Manager (+1) 831.464.3458, [email protected]