ENG - Molten scores slam dunk

LONDON (BBL) - Molten, the world's leading manufacturer of inflatable sports balls, is to sponsor the British Basketball League (BBL) in a three year deal in which Molten's new and distinctive, 12-panel G-Series basketball will become the exclusive and official BBL league and club ball.

The announcement follows hot on the heels of Molten's recently announced sponsorship agreements with the Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association (July 2006).

Valued at £150,000, the sponsorship package, which commences this month (September 2006), includes a supply of the Molten G-Series basketball and other Molten products as well as cash, which is to be directly invested by BBL in a scheme to develop basketball in the clubs' communities.

The objective of this scheme is to increase the membership in England Basketball (the sport's governing body) and improve club development and competition. (A similar, highly successful scheme, piloted in one region last year, accounted for over 10% of England Basketball's 2005/6 increase in membership.)

A further element of the sponsorship agreement is that the unique 12-panel Molten G-Series basketball, which is FIBA approved, is to be depicted in the newly launched BBL logo (see above) and all Molten products, including digital scoreboards, are to be available exclusively online via the BBL web site (www.bbl.org.uk).

In addition, the Molten G-Series basketball is to be used in all BBL games, cup games and championship finals as well as all junior development programmes, community projects by BBL Clubs and any other events which the BBL undertakes.

Bob Hope, chairman of Molten Sports and one of the original founders and owners of successful BBL team, the Birmingham Bullets, said:

"We are thrilled to announce our sponsorship agreement with the British Basketball League. This is the first time Molten has been the official ball of any basketball league in the UK and it also marks our second prestigious basketball deal in as many months.

"With the Molten G-Series basketball now the official match ball of the British Basketball League and the Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association, as well as being the official game ball of the forthcoming Beijing Olympics, it is surely set to be the latest ‘must-have' ball."

Comments Paul Blake, chairman, British Basketball League:

"We are very pleased to have established this excellent relationship with Molten and Bob Hope, particularly as Bob was a founder member of the BBL back in the 1980s.

"The Molten G-Series basketball is recognized as a world class ball. Indeed, it is the official match ball for all forthcoming European, World, Olympic, Paralympic and World Wheelchair championships. Therefore it is essential that BBL teams, who will be providing players for the GB international programme, are also playing with it."