HP Selects NBA for First-ever Marketing Partnership with a Professional Sports League

Groundbreaking Multiyear Partnership Teams HP with NBA, WNBA and NBA Development League

PALO ALTO, Calif., HP and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced a new multiyear marketing partnership – HP’s first with a major professional sports league – that will include the development of joint technology initiatives to enhance the overall game experience for basketball fans.

The agreement is among the NBA’s most comprehensive marketing partnerships and encompasses all three of its leagues – the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the NBA Development League (NBA D-League).

As “the NBA’s Partner in Technology Innovation,” HP will provide products and services from its broad portfolio for use in NBA, WNBA and NBA D-League operations throughout the United States. Additionally, HP and the NBA will work together in India, where, in July, the NBA held its first-ever event in the country, Basketball without Borders, its global basketball development and community outreach program. HP will also partner on specific marketing activities and programs in Africa, Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

The NBA will team with HP Labs, the company’s central research arm, to develop innovative and meaningful integration of HP products into the game, while leveraging HP technology to bring NBA content to fans in new ways. New products and innovations will be tested and used in the WNBA and NBA D-League.

“HP is a real leader in technology innovation with an incredible commitment to research and development through their famed HP Labs,” said Heidi Ueberroth, President of NBA Global Marketing Partnerships and International Business Operations. “HP is everywhere that NBA fans are, and they are the perfect partner to engage our tech-savvy fans through the latest in technology.”

“The NBA bridges many cultures and countries, inciting fans’ passion for the game of basketball,” said Michael Mendenhall, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, HP. “This is not your typical partnership, it allows HP to work with the NBA and extend our reach to key audiences across multiple distribution channels and geographies while demonstrating our leadership in technology innovation.”

The NBA and HP tipped off its partnership during 2008 NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS, the NBA’s four-country tour of preseason games in Europe. HP served as an official marketing partner of the NBA Europe Live games in Paris and London, and the NBA is using HP’s technology for stats collection and game operations throughout the tour.

During the year, HP will also conduct integrated marketing programs throughout the NBA’s major events.

Powering the NBA Game

Throughout the NBA, WNBA and NBA D-League seasons, HP products will play an integral role in capturing every play of every game in real time. HP Compaq 2710p Tablet PCs and HP Compaq 6530b Notebook PCs will be used courtside in all 48 arenas to record data and statistical information for more than 2,000 NBA, WNBA and NBA D-League games.

At the Official Scorer’s Table courtside, HP Compaq 2710p Tablet PCs will be used to record more than 400,000 points, 160,000 rebounds and 80,000 assists during the NBA, WNBA and NBA D-League season combined. Additionally, HP touchscreen tablets will be used to record statistical events taking place on the court for all three leagues, which will total nearly one million events per season. All statistical information captured by HP products will be sent in real time to NBA.com, all team Web sites, NBA TV and thousands of media outlets around the world.

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 2007-08 season, NBA games reached 215 countries and territories in 41 languages. The league’s worldwide reach was also reflected last season in the 76 international players from 31 countries and territories on NBA rosters. Domestically, the NBA broadcasted 142 regular-season games on national television last season on ABC, TNT, ESPN and ESPN2.

NBA TV, launched in 1999 as the first 24-hour television channel created and operated by a professional sports league, is distributed to 80 countries. NBA merchandise is sold in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA.com averages more than five million daily visits. More than 60 percent of the Web site’s visitors come from outside the United States.

NBA Cares is the league’s social responsibility initiative that builds on the NBA’s long tradition of addressing important social issues in the United States and around the world. To date, members of the NBA family – including teams, current and former players, and the league office – have contributed more than 600,000 hours of hands-on volunteer service, raised more than $88 million for charity, and created more than 310 places where kids and families can live, learn and play through NBA Cares. NBA Cares works with internationally recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes, including UNICEF, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis

About the WNBA

Comprised of 14 teams and in its 12th season, the WNBA is the most successful women’s professional team sports league in the world. The 2008 season tipped off May 17 with ESPN2 again providing appointment viewing in the form of its “WNBA Tuesdays” telecasts. During the 2008 season, combined coverage on ABC and ESPN2 will include 21 national telecasts, while NBA TV, the league’s 24-hour television network, will offer 70 regular-season contests.

Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, increase breast and women’s health awareness, support youth and family development, and focus on education. For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.

NBA Development League

The NBA Development League, founded in 2001, is the NBA’s official minor league and features 16 teams with direct affiliations to NBA teams. The league has produced 15 percent of the players on 2007-08 end-of-season NBA rosters and continues to develop current NBA coaches and referees. In fostering the league’s connection to the community, its teams, players and staff promote youth basketball, support local needs and interests, and assist in educational development through NBA D-League Cares programs. The NBA D-League also advances the game of basketball as the research and development arm of the NBA. Throughout this season fans can watch all NBA D-League games on NBA Futurecast, the free live Web-streaming initiative found at nba.com/futurecast.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, provides printing and personal computing products and IT services, software and solutions that simplify the technology experience for consumers and businesses. HP completed its acquisition of EDS on Aug. 26, 2008. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

© 2008 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. To the extent permitted by law, HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.