AOL Time Warner Announces Landmark Six-Year Television, Interactive and Marketing Agreement With the National Basketball Association.Business, Entertainment & Sports Editors NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 22, 2002 AOL (A division of Time Warner, Inc., New York, NY, www.aol.com) The world's largest online information service with access to the Internet, e-mail, chat rooms and a variety of databases and services. Time Warner (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :AOL)-- Turner Broadcasting System Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (often abbreviated TBS Networks or TBS, inc.) is the company managing the collection of cable networks and properties started by Robert Edward "Ted" Turner from the mid-1970s to the late-1990s. Will Receive First-Ever Cable Exclusive NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= All-Star Game, Conference Finals and Semi-Finals on TNT TNT: see trinitrotoluene. TNT in full trinitrotoluene Pale yellow, solid organic compound made by adding nitrate (−NO2) groups to toluene. , As Well As Other Exclusives; AOL Will Be the NBA's Official ISP (1) See in-system programmable. (2) (Internet Service Provider) An organization that provides access to the Internet. Connection to the user is provided via dial-up, ISDN, cable, DSL and T1/T3 lines. and Receive a Variety of NBA Promotions, Sponsorships and Special Features Across Its Family of Interactive Brands Expanded Alliance Highlights AOL Time Warner's Commitment to Leadership in the Sports Marketplace AOL Time Warner today announced a landmark six-year television, interactive media and marketing agreement with the National Basketball Association National Basketball Association (NBA) U.S. professional basketball league. It was formed in 1949 by the merger of two rival organizations, the National Basketball League (founded 1937) and the Basketball Association of America (1946). (NBA) under which NBA games and content will be featured across AOL Time Warner on-air and online brands. Under this new agreement, which expands upon relationships previously held between the NBA, Turner Broadcasting System and America Online Inc., AOL Time Warner will continue its successful 18-year partnership with the NBA through the 2007-08 season, and becomes the official ISP for the NBA, further reinforcing the company's strong position in the sports marketplace. Television Under the six-year agreement, Turner Network Television Turner Network Television, usually referred to as TNT, is an American cable TV network created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner. (TNT) will receive an exclusive package of approximately 45 NBA Playoff games, including the conference semi-finals and one conference finals series each year. For the first time ever on basic cable, TNT will exclusively televise the NBA All-Star Game as well as the entire NBA All-Star Weekend of events. In addition, TNT will televise 52 regular season games in prime-time, including an Opening Night doubleheader and a doubleheader on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day each year. In addition, AOL Time Warner and the NBA also announced that they will explore the creation of a jointly-owned, national 24-hour cable sports network. The new sports network would offer rich and compelling sports content, including live professional events and sports news. As its programming foundation, the new network would telecast 96 regular season NBA games and at least two NBA playoff games, and may also include classic NBA games, WNBA WNBA Women's National Basketball Association WNBA World Ninepin Bowling Association WNBA Wannabe Nasty Boys Association WNBA Women's National Book Association, Inc. WNBA Warszawski Nurt Basketu Amatorskiego , and NBA Development League The NBA Development League, or D-League, is the National Basketball Association's officially sponsored and operated developmental basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL programming, auto racing, tennis, golf, college sports and other sports programming. Interactive The agreement expands the strategic alliance between the NBA and America Online Inc. announced in June, 2000. America Online will now become the official ISP of the NBA, the WNBA and the National Basketball Development League, and the NBA will provide content to AOL members including free audiocast of many NBA games on the AOL service. America Online will continue to promote the NBA across the family of America Online interactive brands and will receive cross-promotion at NBA games and telecasts. AOL Time Warner and the NBA will also explore content delivery across emerging technology platforms. Bob Pittman, Co-COO of AOL Time Warner said, "We are very pleased to announce this expanded relationship with the NBA, a longtime partner to AOL Time Warner on a number of fronts. This agreement highlights AOL Time Warner's commitment to bringing our customers the very best in sports content, and significantly strengthens our Company's unique position in the sports marketplace. This is an exciting step for both AOL Time Warner and the NBA; through Turner Broadcasting and AOL, we'll help the NBA increase its fan base by bringing basketball fans across America the very best in NBA games, interactive content and features, and much more." Jamie Kellner, Chairman and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., said, "This agreement is a victory for TNT and NBA fans alike. Our exclusivity for the Thursday night double-header, the All-Star game and the number of playoff games that will be featured on TNT make this agreement the crowning achievement in our 18 year relationship with the NBA. In addition to bringing our viewers some of the very best that television sports has to offer, we'll provide the cable industry the greatest NBA package in its history. Cable operators can look forward to record cable ratings for the NBA All-Star game and conference finals, providing tremendous value for their subscribers and an added income stream for their local cable ad sales operations." "Having an event like the NBA All Star Game on TNT, as well as the exclusivities of our Thursday night package and NBA Playoff games, make this deal unique in sports television and a great value for fans, sponsors and our cable operator partners," said Turner Sports President Mark Lazarus. "Additionally, having the opportunity to create and build a new sports network is exciting for our company and clearly shows what a great partnership we've maintained with the NBA." With today's announcement, AOL Time Warner continues to establish its leadership in the sports marketplace with three of the country's most popular sports leagues - the NBA, the NFL NFL abbr. National Football League NFL (US) n abbr (= National Football League) → Fußball-Nationalliga and NASCAR NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), organization that sanctions American stock-car races, est. 1948. It held its first race in Daytona Beach, Fla. - featured across AOL Time Warner broadcast and online media brands. About AOL Time Warner AOL Time Warner (NYSE:AOL) is the world's first Internet-powered media and communications company, whose industry-leading businesses include interactive services, cable systems, publishing, music, networks and filmed entertainment. |
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