INAUGURAL NBA 3-ON-3 PHILIPPINES

My good friend, Tessa Jazmines of Larc and Asset, the agency handling the Public Relations of the NBA in the Philippines, sent the following article regarding the first-ever NBA 3-on-3 presented by Sprite on July 1-3 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall. Those interested can get in touch with Ms. Sheila Rasu of NBA Asia (Tel. No. 852-2843 9628, Email: srasu@nba.com) or Ms. Tessa Jazmines (Tel. No. 63-2-410 9001, Email: tessa@larcandasset.com), for further details.

MANILA, June 3, 2011 – The first-ever NBA 3-on-3 Philippines presented by Sprite will take place in Manila at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall from July 1 – 3, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Sprite announced today. The event combines exciting on-court competition with authentic NBA entertainment and experiences for fans.

The NBA 3-on-3 Philippines 2011 presented by Sprite will provide youth with an opportunity to hone their skills and compete amongst their peers.  The competition is open to boys and girls ages 11 – 19, with an open division for men. Registration begins today on a first come first serve basis and runs till June 28. Information on the event is available at www.nba3on3.com/Philippines.

To enhance fan experience, NBA Legend Horace Grant, a four-time NBA Champion (1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93 with Chicago; 2000-01 with L.A. Lakers) and an NBA All-Star in 1994, will make appearances and interact with fans through clinics and community events. Current All-Stars and legends from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) will also attend the event and take part in the activities.

“We’re very excited to partner with the NBA and to take part in this inaugural NBA 3-on-3 event,” said Criselle Pascual, Sprite Brand Manager, The Coca-Cola Export Corporation. “It is important to encourage the youth to engage in sports like basketball to keep them active and hone their passion for the game at an early age. Sprite is the perfect partner of the NBA because its refreshingly clear attitude embodies the youth spirit of fun and love for the game.”

“We greatly appreciate the support of our long time partner Sprite and they are an ideal presenting partner for our first ever NBA 3-on-3 tournament in the region,” said Scott Levy, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, NBA Asia. “The Philippines is the perfect place to launch this event given the country’s rich culture and passion for basketball.  Thanks to the support of all of our partners, we expect this to become an annual competition that gives everyone an opportunity to experience the sport and get further involved in the game of basketball.”

Other NBA-style events over the three days include a Sprite Slam Dunk contest and Energen Skills Challenge where participants can compete and showcase their abilities in front of a home crowd. There will also be an authentic NBA half-time show featuring performances by the Knicks City Dancers, NBA merchandise giveaways and live music to keep fans entertained. Entry to watch the tournament and soak in the festivities is free of charge.

Along with Sprite, SOLARtv Network Incorporated (Basketball TV and NBA Premium TV) has joined the NBA 3-on-3 Philippines 2011 presented by Sprite as official media partner together with Studio 23. Supporting partners also include Energen and Spalding. Venue partner is SM Mall of Asia.

SOLARtv Network Incorporated is giving its full support to the NBA’s efforts in promoting basketball in the country. Peter Chanliong, CEO said “NBA fever is at its peak right now and we are excited to be a part of the NBA 3-on-3 Philippines 2011 presented by Sprite. The Philippines is one of the biggest markets for the NBA in Asia and through this effort, we hope to extend and broaden the NBA fan base, and take the sport to greater heights.”

NBA Cares, the league’s global social responsibility program, will also conduct a variety of community events in conjunction with the NBA 3-on-3 Philippines 2011 presented by Sprite.

All participants of the NBA 3-on-3 Philippines 2011 presented by Sprite will receive a jersey and NBA sling bag, with early registrants (those who sign up before June 10) receiving a signed photograph of NBA legend Horace Grant. There will also be prizes for the winner of each division. 

For more information about the NBA 3-on-3 Philippines 2011 presented by Sprite and chances to win daily quiz prizes, please log onto www.nba3on3.com/Philippines. Fans can also get updates on the event by following the NBA on twitter at www.twitter.com/NBA_Philippines and through Facebook at www.facebook.com/nba.

About Sprite

Through the years, Sprite has refreshed drinkers through its familiar green dimpled bottle and its refreshing clear, crisp lemon-lime taste. Sprite has a heritage of being the voice of clarity among the youth. Today, Sprite is the #1 lemon-lime Sparkling beverage in the Philippines. It continues to be at the heart of where the action is by refreshing millions of Filipino teens with its hit of sudden refreshment that truly quenches their thirst so they can be refreshingly clear with themselves.

Be refreshingly clear with Sprite.

About  SOLARtv Network Inc.

Solar Television Network, Inc. was incorporated on November 29, 2009, an affiliate of Solar Entertainment Corporation. It has been the Philippine Rights holder of the NBA since 2001. With 10 free and cable channels under its management, sports and basketball have been a major part of Solar’s programming.

Together with the NBA, it is committed to develop the sport amongst the Filipino audience by making NBA available in every Filipino home.

About the NBA

The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada.  During the 2010-11 season, NBA games will reach 215 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.  Official NBA rosters currently feature 83 players from 40 countries and territories.  NBA merchandise is sold in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents.  NBA.com averages more than 26 million page views per day, with more than 50 percent of the site’s visitors coming from outside of North America.  The NBA is the No. 1 U.S. sports league on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, with the most fans, followers, and videos viewed on each, respectively.