NBA EUROPE LIVE PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS TIPS OFF
EA and NBA unite the best in real and virtual basketball on European courts this week
CHERTSEY, UK 5 October 2007 - NBA Europe LIVE presented by EA SPORTS is bringing some of the world's best basketball action to fans in Europe this week as EA and NBA unite for the second time. NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS began on 1st October and features the Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves in training camps and exhibition games against top Euroleague Basketball clubs in six cities across Turkey, Italy, Spain, and the UK. The first games of this year's tour are on October 6 in both Istanbul and Rome.
As the presenting partner, EA SPORTS will also conduct a number of events around the launch of the popular new videogame NBA LIVE 08, which will be available across Europe on the Xbox 360 video game system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems and the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable). Wii and PC versions of the game.
"NBA Europe Live is a fantastic platform for EA SPORTS and our partners at the NBA to share our passion for real and virtual basketball with fans and gamers across Europe," said Matt Bilbey, Senior Director of International Marketing, EA SPORTS. "We're pleased to continue to be ambassadors for NBA basketball and with the launch of NBA LIVE 08 in Europe today are excited for gamers to be able to celebrate the best basketball action on the virtual court."
"Following the success of last year's tour, we are pleased to have EA SPORTS with us again as the presenting sponsor of NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS," said Sophie Goldschmidt, Vice President of Marketing Partnerships & Business Development for NBA Europe. "Once again, this ambitious international competition continues to be a celebration of the game of basketball for fans throughout Europe - both on the court and with NBA LIVE."
Games
TEAMS DATE CITY ARENA Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors Oct 6 Rome PalaLottomatica Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Efes Pilsen Istanbul Oct 6 Istanbul Abdi Ipekci Sports Hall Toronto Raptors vs. Lottomatica Virtus Roma Oct 7 Rome PalaLottomatica Memphis Grizzlies vs. Unicaja Malaga Oct 9 Malaga Palacio de Deportes Jose Manuel Martin Carpena Boston Celtics vs. Minnesota Timberwolves Oct 11 London The O2 MMTEstudiantes vs Memphis Grizzlies Oct 11 Madrid Palacio de Deportes de la Communidad Real Madrid vs. Toronto Raptors Madrid Palacio de Deportes de la CommunidadNBA Europe LIVE presented by EA SPORTS is a comprehensive tour of Europe that includes training camps and exhibition games against NBA and Euroleague Basketball teams. During last year's inaugural NBA Europe, four teams - the San Antonio Spurs, LA Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns - held training camps in France, Russia, Spain and Italy respectively and competed against top Euroleague Basketball teams with exhibition games held in Germany. The tour drew more than 36 million viewers and 115,000 spectators in October 2006.
Building upon a solid foundation of 5-on-5 gameplay, NBA LIVE 08 introduces a set of 4 all-new features in this year's game - Quickstrike Ballhandling, Own The Paint, Hot Spots and Signature Go-To Moves to increase user control, while providing an unrivaled level of authenticity to the sport of basketball. Use these features to create your own Go-To Moves and take on the best in the world with NBA LIVE 08. For the first time ever, NBA LIVE 08 will also feature eight international teams as part of a multi-year licensing agreement with FIBA, the world governing body for basketball. The game features a number of the NBA's biggest international stars on packaging across Europe, including the San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker and Phoenix Suns' Boris Diaw (France), Dallas Mavericks' Dirk Nowitzki (Germany), Memphis Grizzlies' Pau Gasol (Spain) and Toronto Raptors' Andrea Bargnani (Italy). Washington Wizards All-Star Gilbert Arenas is featured on packaging in North America and all other territories.
For more information on NBA LIVE 08, log onto www.nbalive.com. Screenshots can be downloaded at www.electronicarts.co.uk/press.
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS, EA, EA SPORTS BIG and POGO. In fiscal 2007, EA posted revenue of $3.09 billion and had 24 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.electronicarts.co.uk. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at www.electronicarts.co.uk/press.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS BIG and POGO are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. The NBA and individual NBA member team identifications used on or in this product are trademarks, copyrighted designs and other forms of intellectual properties of NBA Properties, Inc. and the respective NBA member teams and may not be used, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of NBA Properties, Inc. ® 2007 NBA Properties, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "PlayStation", "PLAYSTATION" and the PSP are registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. Microsoft, Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Wii is a trademark of Nintendo. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.