LEADING TURKISH COMPANIES JOIN AS PARTNERS OF NBA EUROPE LIVE PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS™ IN ISTANBUL
-- Efes Pilsen, TAÇ, Türk Telekom, and Beko join existing global partners to bring first ever NBA team to Turkey --
PARIS, FRANCE, JULY 18 2007 - Four Turkish companies have joined the National Basketball Association as official marketing partners of NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS™ in Istanbul, the NBA announced today. The official local partners include Beko, Efes Pilsen, TAÇ, and Türk Telekom, all of which will run comprehensive marketing and advertising campaigns behind an event featuring the first NBA team to play in Turkey.
EA SPORTS, adidas, The Coca-Cola Company, Champion and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority will return as pan-European marketing partners for the 2007 NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS™. Spalding, the official basketball of the NBA, will serve as an official supplier to the event. All of the pan-European marketing partners will conduct a variety of NBA-themed promotional activities to reach NBA fans across Europe, including Turkey.
Official marketing partners in Turkey will conduct promotional campaigns, including product packaging and retail promotions, and will be integrated into all of the event's marketing and digital media platforms. For the second consecutive year, EA SPORTS will serve as the presenting sponsor of the NBA's four-nation tour through Europe.
"We are thrilled to have such a robust roster of marketing partners ahead of the NBA's first events in Turkey," said Sophie Goldschmidt, Vice President Marketing Partnerships and Business Development, NBA Europe. "Turkey has a strong passion for basketball, and by working in conjunction with our partners we will help expand the game both in Turkey and throughout Europe."
The roster of marketing partners for NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS™ includes several leading Turkish companies and showcases the popularity of the NBA in Turkey. Türk Telekom is a provider of national and international telecommunication services in Turkey. Efes Pilsen which is now being enjoyed in over 50 countries worldwide is the flagship brand of Efes Beverage Group and holds nearly 80% of the market share in Turkey. Efes Beer Group currently is the 6th largest Europe based brewer with 15 breweries, 6 malteries and 1 hops processing facility in 5 countries. TAÇ is Turkey's largest home textiles brand, which offers a large scale of products, from bed linens to table cloths, to markets in Turkey and 20 additional countries. BEKO, international brand of Arcelik Company, provides high-tech products in durable goods sector in more than 100 countries and up to now, BEKO branded products have reached 250 million consumers worldwide.
As part of NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS™, the city of Istanbul will welcome the Minnesota Timberwolves in October 2007 for training camp and a game against Efes Pilsen, one of Euroleague Basketball´s most successful teams. This will mark the first time that an NBA team will play a game in the country. The Timberwolves will hold training camp in Istanbul from Oct. 1-5 and will play a game against Efes at the Abdi Ipekci Sports Hall on Oct. 6. NTV will be the host broadcaster for the game and will provide live free television coverage for fans in Turkey.
The NBA's presence in Turkey will not just be felt in the arena, but also in the local communities through the league's global community outreach initiative NBA Cares. NBA Cares is the league's social responsibility initiative that builds on the NBA's long tradition of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world. As part of NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS™, the NBA and the event marketing partners will conduct a variety of community and education based programs in Istanbul and the other European host cities.
NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS™, will see a total of four NBA teams travel to six European cities in four countries. After Istanbul the Timberwolves will travel to London to play a game against the Boston Celtics at The O2 on Oct. 10. The Memphis Grizzlies will hold training camp in Malaga, Spain and will play a game against Euroleague Basketball´s semi-finalist Unicaja on Oct. 9 before traveling to Madrid to play a game against MMT Estudiantes on Oct. 11. The Toronto Raptors will also play a game on Oct. 11 in Madrid against Spanish powerhouse and Euroleague Basketball team Real Madrid. The Raptors will conduct their training camp in Treviso, Italy, before playing the Boston Celtics on Oct. 6 and Lottomatica Roma on Oct. 7 in Rome. After this years' event, NBA teams will have played 41 games in 15 cities throughout Europe over the past two decades. The inaugural NBA Europe Live visited seven cities in five countries and drew more than 36 million viewers, 115,000 spectators, and 18 marketing partners in October 2006.
About the NBA
The NBA, founded in 1946, is a global sports and entertainment brand that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada. This season, NBA games will be televised in 215 countries in 41 different languages. The league's worldwide reach can also be seen with 85 international players on NBA rosters. As fans witness tremendous performances on the court, some of the NBA's most significant efforts occur off the court. This past year, the league launched its most ambitious community outreach endeavor, NBA Cares. Over a five-year span, players and teams will raise and contribute $100 million for charity, donate more than one million hours of volunteer service to communities worldwide, and build more than 100 educational and athletic facilities where children can learn and play. For more information on the NBA, visit NBA.com.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS™, EA™, EA SPORTS BIG™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2007, EA posted revenue of $3.09 billion and had 24 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
Electronic Arts, EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
About Euroleague Basketball
Euroleague Basketball S.L. was founded in 2000 under a private organizational model considered to be a breakthrough for European professional team sports. The competition features 24 clubs from 12 or more countries per season and crowns its champion each spring at the Euroleague Final Four, now a signature event on the world sports stage. The 2007 Euroleague Final Four generated record crowds at the OAKA arena in Athens, Greece. Euroleague Basketball has experienced spectacular growth in seven seasons to thanks annual attendance and television coverage records. Compared to the inaugural 2000-01 season, attendance has increased 250%. Euroleague Basketball's television presence expanded to 163 countries on five continents, including for the first time retransmission of the Final Four in China. Euroleague Basketball is the reference in European basketball.
|