McDonald’s and NBA Team up to Bring NBA Basketball and Promote Activity to Kids and Young Adults around The World; Partnership to Tap into the Lifestyle Relevance of Basketball Culture on Four Continents

NEW YORK--April 25, 2005--As the 2005 NBA Playoffs begin, McDonald’s Corporation(R) and the NBA are teaming up to bring NBA basketball to hundreds of thousands of fans with NBA events and promotions on four continents. The global events schedule is the most ambitious the two partners have ever conducted jointly around the world.

McDonald’s will tap into the NBA’s lifestyle relevance to global teens and young adults by participating in NBA events that feature competitive basketball tournaments, interactive basketball activities, live musical performances and other NBA-themed attractions. The events will be conducted in key regions, including Hong Kong, France, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, Taiwan and the Philippines. The involvement of McDonald’s in high-energy NBA events underscores the McDonald’s balanced, active lifestyles initiative.

McDonald’s will also participate in events in Asia, Latin America and Europe through a partnership with Basketball without Borders, the international basketball and community relations outreach program for young people that promotes healthy living, friendship and education.

An NBA partner since 1990, McDonald’s will also connect with young NBA fans through special promotions in their more than 600 restaurants in China. NBA fans in China and Taiwan will be able to collect four NBA-themed cups in a special NBA Combo Meal that will be promoted by NBA superstar Yao Ming, the only McDonald’s global endorser.

Last October, McDonald’s partnered with the NBA in staging the first-ever NBA China Games, in which the Houston Rockets and the Sacramento Kings played preseason games in Shanghai and Beijing. The games were an extension of the league’s long-standing relationship with basketball in China dating back to 1979.

“Part of McDonald’s leadership marketing is to be relevant to young adults globally and this partnership with the NBA, along with our global alliances with the Olympics and FIFA World Cup Soccer, provides a natural partnership to achieve this goal,” said Dean Barrett, McDonald’s Senior Vice President, Global Marketing. “The NBA’s fast-paced and high energy game gives McDonald’s a sound platform to highlight the importance of balanced and active lifestyles.”

“McDonald’s has been a valuable partner of the NBA across three decades and we are looking forward to engaging with them in one of the most extensive global partnerships that we have ever conducted,” said NBA Executive Vice President Heidi Ueberroth. “By combining the strength of the McDonald’s brand with the NBA’s growing appeal to kids and young adults around the world, we have a unique opportunity to jointly connect with a potential global fan base in relevant and meaningful ways.”

Following is a sample of events that McDonald’s and the NBA will conduct:

-- Basketball Without Borders - McDonald’s will support Basketball without Borders events in Asia (Beijing, China); Latin America (Buenos Aires, Argentina); and Europe (Treviso, Italy).

-- Mexico - NBA 3x3 League - 3-on-3 tournament taking place in four cities (Mexico City, Monterrey, Chihuaha, and Querepearo) in Mexico

-- Brazil, Taiwan and Philippines - NBA Madness - basketball theme-park featuring interactive competitions, musical stage, and celebrity appearances starting in June.

-- France - NBA Challenge - 5-on-5 outdoor tournaments for players of all skill levels in seven cities across France which also includes music and dance performances starting in August.

About McDonald’s

McDonald’s is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 30,000 local restaurants serving nearly 50 million people in more than 119 countries each day. Approximately 70% of McDonald’s restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent, local businessmen and women.

About NBA

Since its founding in 1946, the NBA has truly become a global phenomenon that transcends national boundaries. With 30 teams in the United States and Canada, NBA games and related programming are broadcast to 214 countries in 43 languages via 157 telecasters; they are one of the largest suppliers of sports television and Internet programming in the world. NBA.com, with more than half of all visits to the site coming from fans outside the United States, has nine language-specific international destinations for fans around the world. The NBA is a recognized leader in global sports marketing with 13 offices around the world. From June to November 2004, the NBA conducted 36 events with 30 partners on six continents. The league opened the 2004-05 season with 81 international players from 35 different countries and territories.

Contact Information

Matt Bourne

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National Basketball Association

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