NBA and Russell Corporation Enter Into Largest Equipment Deal in Sports

NBA and Russell Corporation Enter Into Largest Equipment Deal in
Sports
- NBA Basketball and Backboard Relationship with Spalding and Huffy Sports
Demonstrates Synergy of Russell Acquisitions - 


NEW YORK, Dec. 15  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The National Basketball
Association has entered into a new eight-year global partnership with Russell
Corporation (NYSE:RML), marketers of Spalding basketballs and Huffy Sports
backboards, marking the largest equipment deal in sports.  The agreement, which
was announced today by Russell Chairman and CEO Jack Ward and NBA Commissioner
David Stern at the NBA Store in New York City, is valued at approximately $125
million and demonstrates the synergy of Russell's acquisition of Spalding and
Huffy Sports.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030630/RMLCORPLOGO )

"Basketball is the fastest growing sport in the world and this agreement with
the NBA will help ensure that an increasing number of fans will be playing with
a Spalding basketball and a Huffy Sports backboard," said Ward.

"As we grow basketball on a global basis, Russell Corporation is perfectly
positioned to bring a unified approach to fulfill the increasing global demand
for basketballs and backboards," said Stern.

Spalding basketball equipment is available in approximately 18,000 retail
locations in 74 countries around the world.  During the course of the
relationship, Spalding has sold more than 70 million NBA basketballs and Huffy
Sports has sold more than 15 million NBA backboards representing combined
retail sales of more than $3 billion worldwide.

As the Official Basketball of the NBA since 1983, the Spalding NBA Game Ball
will continue to be the only basketball used during all NBA practices,
exhibitions, games and international competitions.  Spalding maintains the
exclusive rights to produce and sell a complete line of NBA and team-
identified basketballs in all sizes including full, junior, youth and mini.

The Official Backboard of the NBA since 1973, Huffy Sports will manufacture
several lines of NBA backboards featuring the Spalding and Huffy Sports brand
names for both recreational and competitive play.

Spalding will continue to serve as the Official Basketball of the WNBA and the
NBDL, the NBA's minor league.  Both leagues use the Spalding Infusion ball, an
innovative basketball with a built-in, dual action Micro Pump.

Russell will promote Spalding and Huffy Sports NBA products through NBA.com,
NBA TV, NBA Inside Stuff and NBA print publications in addition to in-store and
other retail marketing.

To celebrate the announcement of the partnership, today is "Spalding Day at the
NBA Store."  Fans who purchase a Spalding basketball will receive a free mini
Spalding autograph basketball.  There will also be shooting contests for fans
between 4 - 6 p.m. with Spalding products given away as prizes.

Basketball Participation

The most popular team sport in America, basketball was played by more than 35.4
million people in 2003, more than 15 million higher than the #2 sport
(volleyball), according to SGMA International 2004.  In 2003, 8 million people
said that basketball was their favorite sports activity, far exceeding the
number that say any other team sport is their favorite.  According to the May
2004 TNSSPORT survey, 69% of international youth (12-17) surveyed played
basketball.

About the NBA

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.
The league opened the 2004-05 season with 81 international players from 35
different countries and territories. The NBA is one of the most popular sports
properties in the licensing world with NBA league and team products in stores
across the globe, on the NBA Store on NBA.com, the NBA Store on Fifth Avenue in
New York City and NBA City in Orlando.  For more information on the NBA, visit
http://www.nba.com/ .

About Russell Corporation

Russell Corporation is a leading branded athletic and sporting goods company
with over a century of success in marketing athletic uniforms, apparel and
equipment for a wide variety of sports, outdoor and fitness activities. The
company's brands include:  Russell Athletic(R), JERZEES(R), Spalding(R),
AAI(R), Huffy Sports(R), Mossy Oak(R), Bike(R), Moving Comfort(R), Dudley(R),
Cross Creek(R) and Discus(R).  The company's common stock is listed on the New
York Stock Exchange under the symbol RML and its website address is
http://www.russellcorp.com/ . 

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DATASOURCE: Russell Corporation



CONTACT:  Matt Bourne of the NBA, [phone], or  ;

or Nancy Young of Russell Media, [phone], or

 ; or Roger Holliday of Russell Financial,

[phone], or  ; or Lynn Luczkowski of

Spalding, [phone], or  



Web site:  http://www.russellcorp.com/

http://www.nba.com/ 

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