Turner Broadcasting and the National Basketball Association Broaden Partnership With Digital Rights Agreement

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced a ground-breaking expansion of the longest-running league/network programming partnership in professional sports, through which the companies will jointly manage a portfolio of the NBA’s digital businesses that TBS, Inc. will operate out of its Atlanta production facility. The new domestic digital rights relationship, will allow TBS, Inc. and the NBA to further enrich the fan experience through NBA assets that complement the current NBA programming airing on Turner’s TNT. The partnership will be fully effective for the 2008-09 NBA season and run through the 2015-16 season.

David Levy, president of Turner Broadcasting Sales, Inc. and president of Turner Sports, and Adam Silver, NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO, will jointly manage the venture and will appoint a General Manager responsible for the oversight of the NBA digital businesses.

Under the new agreement:

* • TBS, Inc. will assume responsibility for programming, marketing and technical operations of NBA TV, the league’s 24-hour digital television network; • TBS, Inc. will host and operate the NBA.com Network, which includes NBA.com, WNBA.com and NBADLeague.com;
* • TBS, Inc. will operate NBA League Pass, the league’s out-of-market game package, and the NBA’s broadband and wireless businesses;
* • TBS, Inc. and the NBA will jointly sell advertising for all of the digital assets;
* • On-air talent from the Emmy Award-winning NBA on TNT and TNT’s Inside the NBA will appear on NBA TV;
* • NBA Entertainment, the league’s award-winning production and programming arm based in Secaucus, N.J., will continue to provide content for all of the NBA’s digital businesses.

“This expansion of the longstanding programming relationship between our company and the NBA represents a new strategic business model, and an innovative template for growth,” said Levy. “Turner Broadcasting’s operation of NBA Digital expands the growing Turner digital portfolio and provides the NBA industry-leading digital resources and expertise with which to grow its brand. We’re pleased to deepen our professional relationship with the league, and to pioneer a new success model for the digital age that will create an even richer experience for NBA fans.”

“We think the best way to optimize our suite of digital and television assets in the U.S. is with a media company that can provide us with the scale, expertise and resources to enhance and grow these properties,” said Silver. “Our longtime media partner Turner is an innovative industry leader and our expanded relationship will create opportunities to better serve our fans.”

The current TNT-NBA national television agreement extends their partnership through 2016, for a record 32 years. Turner’s TNT airs 52 regular-season games exclusively on Thursday nights in prime time; airs more than 40 Playoff games; and airs the annual All-Star Game and All-Star Saturday events exclusively. In addition, TNT NBA Overtime, a broadband feature on NBA.com, streams TNT-televised games, highlights and related programming live, delayed and on-demand.

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. During the 2007-08 season, the NBA will distribute games and programming to 215 countries and territories in 41 languages. The league’s worldwide reach can also be seen with 76 international players from 30 countries and territories on NBA rosters. As fans witness tremendous performances on the court, some of the NBA’s most significant efforts occur off the court. NBA Cares is the league’s social responsibility initiative that builds on its long tradition of addressing important social issues in the U.S. and around the world. Through this umbrella program, the NBA, its teams and players have committed to donating $100 million to charity, providing a million hours of hands on service to the community and creating 250 places where kids and families can live, learn or play. NBA Cares works with internationally-recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including: UNICEF, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.

About Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world. Turner brands and businesses include CNN/U.S., CNN Headline News, CNN International and CNN.com; TBS, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, truTV, Peachtree TV and Turner Sports; Cartoon Network and Boomerang; and Adult Swim, GameTap and Super Deluxe.

Contact Info:
Sal Petruzzi
Turner Sports
(212) 275-6897
sal.petruzzi@turner.com

Michael Bass
NBA
(212) 407-8769
mbass@nba.com
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