New York, NY, Feb. 7, 2011 – Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a global
character-based entertainment licensing company, and the National
Basketball Association today announced a collaboration to launch an
exclusive collection of co-branded merchandise featuring NBA team logos
alongside some of the most renowned Super Heroes in the Marvel Universe.
The Super Hero-inspired line will include co-branded apparel and
accessories, with artwork featuring a variety of Marvel Super Heroes –
including premier character brands Spider-Man, Iron Man and Captain
America, among many others – dressed in NBA team colors and logos.
The collection will launch with headwear and apparel, including T-shirts
and sweatshirts by C-Life, in sizes ranging from infant to adult, as well
as headwear by New Era, and will look to expand into other key categories,
including sporting goods and novelty items. Modell’s and Madison Square
Garden will launch the New York collection and the Staples Center will be
the first destination for L.A. Lakers co-branded merchandise to debut at
the NBA All-Star game on Feb. 20, 2011.  The products will then be made
available in other national and regional sporting goods retailers,
specialty stores, additional NBA arena stores, and mid-tier channels sports
apparel departments.
 
“We are excited to launch this partnership with the NBA, whose fan base
and retail distribution channels provide a great opportunity to expand the
reach and exposure of our brands,” said Paul Gitter, President of Consumer
Products for North America, Marvel Entertainment.
“The NBA is filled with highlights as amazing as the feats of Marvel’s
storied characters,” said Vicky Picca, Senior Vice President, Licensing and
Business Affairs, NBA Global Merchandising.  “Given the awe-inspiring
attributes of our brands, the combination of our teams and premier Marvel
characters is a perfect fit.”
About NBA
The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global
business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada.  During
the 2010-11 season, NBA games will reach 215 countries and territories in
more than 40 languages.  Official NBA rosters currently feature 86 players
from 40 countries and territories.  NBA merchandise is sold in more than
125,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents.  NBA.com averages more
than 26 million page views per day, with more than 50 percent of the site’s
visitors coming from outside of North America.  The NBA is the No. 1 U.S.
sports league on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, with the most fans,
followers, and videos viewed on each, respectively.  Through NBA Cares, the
league, its teams and players have donated more than $150 million to
charity, completed more than 1.5 million hours of hands-on community
service, and created more than 560 places where kids and families can live,
learn, or play.
About Marvel Entertainment, LLC
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney
Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment
companies, built on a proven library of over 8,000 characters featured in a
variety of media over seventy years. Marvel utilizes its character
franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. For more information
visit www.marvel.com.
                                  #  #  #
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
MARVEL: Jeffrey Klein, Callie Burrows, DAN KLORES COMMUNICATIONS
212-981-5189/212-981-5209
jeff_klein@dkcnews.com/callie_burrows@dkcnews.com
NBA:Amanda Thorn
212-407-8477
athorn@nba.com