WNBA Teams Up with Foot Locker

NEW YORK, June 26 -- The WNBA announced a multiyear marketing partnership with Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker, the world's leading retailers of athletic footwear and apparel. The alliance establishes the three as "Official Sponsors of the WNBA" in an unprecedented agreement that combines the power of the three brands at retail.

Foot Locker and Lady Foot Locker will receive in-game units on the WNBA's three national television networks -- NBC, ESPN and Lifetime -- and on-court signage in those games. Kids Foot Locker will also share on-court signage with Lady Foot Locker in the nationally televised games. In addition, the three retailers will acquire rights to the WNBA league and team logos, footage and photos in advertising and promotions.

"By combining Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker with the WNBA, we have created a powerful marketing partnership that will further enhance our brands," said Stacy Cunningham, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Foot Locker Worldwide. "We are proud to become an official sponsor of the WNBA and are excited to join forces with the league for the new season."

"Our new partnership with Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker is a perfect match for the WNBA because we share the same athletic and passionate fan base," stated Ken Derrett, Senior Vice President, Marketing Partnerships, WNBA. "We believe this will be a mutually beneficial relationship that will grow the brands of the WNBA and all three retailers in the seasons to come."

Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker and Kids Foot Locker are part of Venator Group, a primarily mall-based specialty retailer that operates over 4,400 retail stores in 14 countries in North America, Europe and Australia. Through its Athletic Group of specialty retail stores, including Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker and Champs Sports, as well as its direct-to-customer channel Footlocker.com/Eastbay, the company is the leading provider of athletic footwear and apparel. Other specialty retail chains include the Northern Group of apparel stores.

The 2000 WNBA season began on Monday, May 29. During the season, each WNBA team will play a 32-game regular season schedule. The regular season ends Wednesday, Aug. 9, with the WNBA Playoffs beginning on Aug. 11.