The 2006 WNBA Draft will take place on Wednesday, April 5, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, one day after the conclusion of the Women's NCAA Final Four which is being held at the nearby TD Banknorth Garden.
Under the terms of the agreement, Reebok, a partner since 1999 will be the first-ever Presenting Partner of the WNBA Draft. Spalding, a partner of the League since its inception in 1997, will be an Associate Partner.
"Reebok and Spalding, like so many of our partners, are utilizing the WNBA to reach a high concentration of adult women who are powerful consumers in today's marketplace," said WNBA President Donna Orender. "The WNBA Draft has developed into one of our most recognizable vehicles through which partners can benefit from national TV exposure and media coverage."
Reebok, a Canton, Mass.-based company, will be the Presenting Partner of the WNBA Draft and the Draft section of WNBA.com. Fans will have an opportunity to play the Reebok Draft Pick 'Em Game, a WNBA.com game where fans can, in advance of the Draft, predict the top 14 draft picks in order. Participants will earn points based on how close they come to predicting the actual draft order and will have an opportunity to win prizes. The grand prize winner will receive a 2-day/1-night trip and tickets for two to attend the 2007 WNBA Draft as well as Reebok duffle bags with apparel. Five runner ups will receive two (2) tickets to a WNBA game nearest to the winner's residence and Reebok apparel. As Presenting Partner, Reebok will also advertise during the telecast and receive on-air mentions, on-site signage, and a presence within the stage set.
Spalding will advertise within the Draft telecast and throughout the WNBA regular season. On the set of the draft, the Spalding WNBA ball will be featured on Spalding's new state-of-the-art ball truck. The WNBA basketballs will be laser-engraved with each team name and placed on the cart in the order of the draft picks.
The 2006 WNBA Draft will be televised live beginning at 1:00 p.m. on April 5. Round one will be telecast on ESPN2. Rounds two and three will be telecast simultaneously on ESPNU and on NBA TV. Comprehensive Draft coverage also will be provided by WNBA.com.
About the WNBA
The
WNBA's 10th anniversary season tips off on Saturday, May 20, 2006 and will include
ABC's broadcast of the defending WNBA Champion Sacramento Monarchs as they commemorate
their 2005 WNBA title by raising the championship banner prior to squaring off
against All-Star guard Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury at ARCO Arena beginning
at 4 p.m. EDT. The league's 10th season also will feature appointment viewing
on Tuesday nights as ESPN2 will televise 14 WNBA games - including five doubleheaders
- on Tuesdays this spring/summer.
In 2005, the WNBA concluded its ninth season with an action-packed WNBA Finals that crowned a new champion for the third straight year as the Sacramento Monarchs defeated the Connecticut Sun. The WNBA Finals on ESPN2 produced significant increases in ratings (+33 percent) and viewership (+27 percent) versus 2004. As the preeminent women's professional sports league, the WNBA is the destination for the best women's basketball players in the world. For more information, visit www.wnba.com.
About Reebok
Reebok
International, based in Canton, Mass., is a leading worldwide designer, marketer
and distributor of sports, fitness and casual footwear, apparel and equipment.
A subsidiary of the adidas Group, the company operates under the Reebok, CCM,
Jofa, and Koho brands. For more information, visit Reebok at www.rbk.com.
About
Spalding
As a Division of Russell Corporation, the Spalding Group consists
of three business units: Spalding in Springfield, MA; American Athletic, Inc.
(AAI) in Jefferson, IA; and Huffy Sports, in Sussex, WI. The three companies,
collectively combined, are now the largest basketball equipment supplier in the
world. Spalding is the official basketball supplier of the National Basketball
Association (NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the official
backboard of the NBA and NCAA, the official volleyball of the King of the Beach
Volleyball Tour, the official soccer ball of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL)
and the official football of the Arena Football League (AFL) and Pop Warner. For
more information, visit www.spalding.com.
