Delaware Teen to Meet Philadelphia Eagles Wide Receiver at The Athlete's Foot in Bear

Market Wire, October, 2007

16-year-old Brandon Norwood has a passion for the sport of football. Captain of his high school's varsity team, Brandon hopes his skill and determination will lead him to a college career. The scholar athlete eloquently expressed his goals in his winning entry to The Athlete's Foot (TAF) nationwide " In My Shoes " contest. As a result he'll be able to seek guidance from another area athlete who has successfully transitioned from high school to college to the professional gridiron -- Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Reggie Brown. The two will meet on October 23 at The Athlete's Foot store in Bear, Delaware.

"The 'In My Shoes' contest rewards young athletes who are striving to reach performance goals this school year. We want to encourage and motivate them in their efforts by bringing them together with other athletes who at one time had high aspirations and have excelled," commented Robert W. D'Loren, President and CEO of NexCen Brands, Inc. , parent company of TAF. "The Athlete's Foot stores in communities around the country aim to empower athletes like Brandon to achieve their highest level of performance."

In Brandon's written essay, he shared his will to "rip through the grass of the field, stop on a dime and tug piles from touchdown to touchdown" as his high school team's starting running back. In addition to his individual goals, he expressed his desire to motivate his teammates through his dedication to the sport. A standout player on the Newark High School football team, Brandon is determined to help his team improve its current two-and-two record and has demonstrated his potential for being a game-changer. He was recognized by www.DEPreps.com as a player of the week on October 3 because of his ground attack -- he rushed for 132 yards on 27 carries. When he's not playing football, Brandon is a member of his high school's winter and spring track and field team.

"I know that I'm really going to enjoy meeting Reggie Brown in person," commented Brandon when notified of his prize. "I'd like to learn more about his college and professional football experiences, and what motivates him on and off the field."

Brown, a graduate of Georgia, was the second round NFL draft pick in 2005. In the first start of his rookie season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Brown caught five passes for 94 yards and one touchdown. He went on in the season to lead all rookies with 571 yards and was second in receptions with 43.

Brandon Norwood and Reggie Brown will meet on Tuesday, October 23, at Brandon's local Athlete's Foot store located at 110 Fox Hunt Drive in Bear, Delaware 19701. There, Brown will make a public appearance from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. and will meet Brandon and present him with a gift card prize from 7:30 to 8:00 p.m.

"We are overjoyed to give Brandon, a local teen athlete, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Reggie Brown at our TAF store," said Cesar Dumet, local franchisee, The Athlete's Foot. "We strive to generate excitement about athletics within our local community and provide our customers with the gear they need to reach their personal performance goals."

The TAF "In My Shoes" campaign, which the retailer launched in late July, invited students ages 13 to 18 nationwide to submit written or video ( YouTube ) entries stating their performance goals for the new school year. Local winners, selected from participating TAF stores, will receive a $75 TAF gift card.

In addition to the Bear event with Reggie Brown, nine other regional winners have won the opportunity to meet pro athletes from their communities, including:

-- Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis

-- Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle

-- New York Knicks forward David Lee

-- Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn

-- Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley

-- Detroit Lions quarterback Jon Kitna

-- Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward

-- Houston Texans running back Ahman Green

-- New Orleans Saints receiver Marques Colston

One national winner will have a one-on-one coaching session with one of the hottest professional athletes in the country. The winner and athlete will be announced by late October.

About The Athlete's Foot ( www.theathletesfoot.com )

The Athlete's Foot® (TAF) is the world's first franchisor of athletic footwear stores and is recognized today as the world leader in athletic footwear franchising. Robert and David Lando opened the first The Athlete's Foot store in 1971 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first athletic footwear specialty store of its kind in the United States. Soon thereafter, TAF began franchising domestically, with the first franchise store opening in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The first international franchise store opened in 1978 in Adelaide, Australia, the beginning of TAF's expansion into over 45 countries. In June 2007, NexCen Brands launched a global re-branding effort for TAF. Plans for reinvigorating the 36-year-old brand include an innovative new modular merchandising system, new in-store design, a modernized company logo, and a line of TAF branded apparel.