A Whole New Kind of Doll Hits the WNBA; The Babooshkah Nesting-Doll Trend Breaks the Gender Barrier in Sacramento.

Sports Editors/Business Editors

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 7, 2003

The latest trend in sports collectibles is breaking the gender barrier this weekend in the WNBA.

The "creative factory" of Bensussen Deutsch & Associates (BD&A) that brought America the Bobblehead craze of the past three years is bringing the first WNBA Russian-inspired nesting doll to the Sacramento Monarchs game against the Los Angeles Sparks at ARCO arena this Saturday.

As the first women's Babooshkah(TM), the June 7 Monarch's giveaway is a unique collectible opportunity. The first 5,000 fans will receive the first two of the three-doll set featuring Yolanda Griffith, Edna Campbell and Lady Grooms. The final doll will be handed out at the July 19 game against the Houston Comets.

"We are thrilled to bring the Babooshkah(TM) to women's professional sports," says Jay Deutsch, president and chief executive officer of BD&A. "In a time when sports fans are looking for inspiration in their players we see the WNBA demonstrating the values we want our kids to emulate: hard work, determination and teamwork."

But how did they come up with that name?

"Because we couldn't trademark 'matryoshka' (the term often used in reference to these Russian nesting dolls) we decided to go with Babooshkah(TM)," Jay Deutsch explains. "First of all, it is a term of endearment that -- though literally translated means 'grandmother' or 'scarf' -- echoes the same kind of affection people have for their favorite sports stars."

"Secondly," Deutsch continues, "Babooshkah(TM) is just more fun to say!"

The Babooshkah(TM) barometer is already on the rise as their recent MLB debut has flooded eBay with bids and has seen lines forming hours before games as fans clamor to get their hands on this hot new trend. In fact, Monarchs fans are encouraged to arrive at the game at least 2 hours in advance to increase their chances of receiving the first women's Babooshkah(TM). Additionally, media should plan to provide plenty of time to set up camera crews who want to capture the excitement of the waiting fans.

ABOUT BD&A

BD&A, the country's first full-service merchandise agency, extends brands for Fortune 1000 companies around the world with custom, three-dimensional merchandise-based marketing campaigns. With 2002 revenues exceeding $100 million, the Woodinville, Washington-based company is the leading promotional merchandise agency in the United States and employs nearly 250 in 14 locations nationwide. BD&A's extensive client list includes some of the world's most recognized brands including adidas, Agilent Technologies, AOL, Bank of America, Dell, Delta Air Lines, DreamWorks, Eli Lilly and Company, ExxonMobil, Microsoft, Nintendo, Pepsi, Texas Instruments and Yahoo. Additionally, as the number one in-stadium sports promotion agency in the United States, BD&A provides merchandise and promotions for the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. The Bobblehead and the rally rag are two of the more popular sports crazes they are responsible for fueling. For more information, visit the BD&A Web site at www.bdainc.com (http://www.bdainc.com).