NBA Offers 2006 NBA Playoffs on the iTunes Music Store; NBA Fans Can Now Download NBA Playoffs and The Finals to iPod

Business Wire, May 8, 2006

NEW YORK -- The NBA has teamed up with Apple to bring the 2006 Playoffs to the iTunes(R) Music Store (www.itunes.com) providing basketball fans the ability to download full game recaps of every remaining NBA Playoffs and Finals game broadcast by all NBA networks including ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBATV to their computer or iPod(R) within 24 hours after games conclude.

In addition to the 15 to 20 minute full game recaps available for each 2006 Playoffs game, during The Finals, fans will also be able to purchase complete game replays of every Finals game the day after they air on ABC.

ABC, ESPN and TNT Sports join the NBA in the launch of the service. TNT Sports will provide more than 15 episodes of the Emmy Award-winning studio show, Inside the NBA on TNT that will feature exclusive off-camera footage and interaction between Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson. Episodes will also include guest appearances by TNT analysts Reggie Miller and Magic Johnson and the host of NBA players and legends who visit the set throughout the Playoffs.

The "2006 NBA Playoffs on iTunes" content will be promoted across ESPN and ESPN.com, TNT and NBA TV and will provide fans with an unprecedented new way of following the NBA Playoffs leading up to and throughout The Finals on ABC starting on June 8.

Fans will be able to access the NBA content on iTunes through several download options including a first of its kind "Follow Your Team" package which provides fans to receive automatic downloads of each of their favorite team's games.

Fans can choose from the following options:

2006 NBA Playoffs: Follow Your Team

Fans who purchase the "Follow You Team" option to one of the league's eight Conference Semfinal Playoff teams will receive full game recaps of every game the team plays from the Conference Semifinals through The Finals and a season recap video for $8.99.

Inside the NBA on TNT

Fans who purchase this service will receive every episode of Inside the NBA on TNT from the Conference Semifinals through the Conference Finals including exclusive bonus segments for $8.99.

The Finals

Fans who purchase a special Finals package will receive complete game replays of every game of The Finals on ABC for $5.99.

Individual Games or Episodes

Fans can also select any 15 to 20 minute full game recap, complete game replay of The Finals or Inside the NBA on TNT a la carte for $1.99. All will be available on iTunes within 24 hours after games conclude.

"The NBA Playoffs and The Finals showcase the best athletes in the world competing for the ultimate prize and now fans can catch up and relive the excitement by downloading every remaining game and series through iTunes," said Brenda Spoonemore, Senior Vice President of Interactive Services, NBA Entertainment. "Tech-savvy NBA fans want more ways to experience the passion of the NBA and together with our television partners, we're happy to make this first ever playoff download package available."

"We're thrilled to be offering basketball fans this unique opportunity to follow NBA Playoffs on iTunes," said Eddy Cue, Apple's vice president of iTunes. "With the new 'Follow Your Team' feature, fans automatically receive full game recaps of every game their favorite team plays from the Conference Semifinals through The Finals."

The NBA has long been a leader in unveiling groundbreaking features that utilize the latest technologies enhancing the overall NBA game experience for fans. The NBA was the first major professional sports league to feature a live Webcast of a game in streaming video (April 2001 on NBA.com), launch a 24-hour television channel (NBA TV in November 1999) and unveil language-specific international destinations on the Internet (NBA.com/japan in June 1999).

About the NBA

The NBA, founded in 1946, is a global sports and entertainment brand that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada. During the 2005-06 season, the NBA will distribute 44,000 hours of programming to 215 countries and territories in 43 languages. The league's worldwide reach can also be seen with 82 international players on NBA rosters. Domestically, the NBA will broadcast 142 games on national television this season on ABC, TNT, ESPN and ESPN2, and is on pace to eclipse attendance records for the third consecutive season.

NBA Entertainment, the league's award-winning production and programming division, produces NBA TV, a 24-hour television network, and exclusive content for each of the NBA's team web sites, and the league's official sites, NBA.com, WNBA.com and NBADLEAGUE.com. The NBA is also an established leader in sports marketing, currently maintaining its longest list of fully integrated domestic and global marketing partnerships with the most recognizable brands in the world, including the leading Internet content and technology providers that bring the game even closer to fans around the world.

As fans witness tremendous performances on the court, some of the NBA's most significant efforts occur off the court. This past year, the league launched its most ambitious community outreach endeavor, NBA Cares. Over a five-year span, players and teams will raise and contribute $100 million for charity, donate more than one million hours of volunteer service to communities worldwide, and build more than 100 educational and athletic facilities where children can learn and play. For more information on the NBA, visit NBA.com.