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 v Efes Pilsen Istanbul - Oct 6 - Istanbul Abdi Ipekci Sports Hall
Toronto Raptors v Lottomatica Virtus Roma - Oct 7 - Rome - PalaLottomatica
Memphis Grizzlies v Unicaja Malaga - Oct 9 - Malaga - Palacio de Deportes Jose Manuel Martin Carpena
Boston Celtics v Minnesota Timberwolves - Oct 11 - London - The O2
MMTEstudiantes v Memphis Grizzlies - Oct 11 - Madrid - Palacio de Deportes de la Communidad
Real Madrid v Toronto Raptors - Madrid - Palacio de Deportes de la Communidad
NBA 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.