-- Discover Card Logo To Appear On The WNBA All-Star Jersey --
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 11, 2007--The WNBA and Discover
Financial Services today announced that Discover(R) Card will be the
official presenting partner of the 2007 WNBA All-Star Game. The 2007
WNBA All-Star Game presented by Discover Card will be televised live
on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 15 from the Verizon Center in
Washington, D.C.
As the official credit card of the WNBA, Discover Card will be
presenting a series of pre-game activities for children during the
week leading up to the All-Star game, as well as a "WNBA All-Star
Discover Card Fan Lounge" immediately following the game.
In addition, the Discover Card logo will appear on the front of
the WNBA All-Star jersey that will be worn by the 2007 East and West
All-Stars, marking the first time a logo other than the uniform
manufacturer will appear on the WNBA uniform. Currently, the adidas
logo appears on the upper right corner of the jersey signifying their
status as the WNBA's official outfitter.
Key events include:
- On-Court Clinics: On Thursday, July 12, 200 local children
from Washington D.C. will participate in on-court clinics with
WNBA players as part of the "WNBA Cares" program, sponsored by
Discover Card. At the clinic, the children will have the
opportunity to learn from the experts as they hear about the
players' training and preparation. Children who participate in
the clinics will also be invited to attend the 2007 WNBA
All-Star Game on Sunday, courtesy of Discover Card.
- "Be Financially Fit" Area: On Saturday, July 14 through
Sunday, July 15, as part of the WNBA's "BE" Tour, the WNBA's
interactive mobile fitness program, Discover Card will host a
"Be Financially Fit" exhibition area on F Street at the
Verizon Center where children can learn the basics of savings
and banking through creative tools such as a giant interactive
calculator.
- WNBA All-Star Discover Card Fan Lounge: Immediately following
the 2007 WNBA All-Star Game, the first 300 WNBA fans who show
their Discover Cards (or apply for one) will have access to
the "WNBA All-Star Discover Card Fan Lounge," located in the
Verizon Center's Dewar's 12 Clubhouse, where they can enjoy
complimentary food, music, and games as well as meet with and
get photos and autographs from their favorite WNBA players.
"Discover Card's partnership with WNBA All-Star 2007 gives us
another opportunity to deepen our connection with fans and provide
them with access to players, affordable entertainment, and educational
services, in addition to the incentive programs already in place
through Discover Card's special credit card and rewards offerings,"
said Donna Orender, President of the WNBA.
"This sponsorship is yet another example of how we bring our
Cardmembers and WNBA fans special access to exciting events like the
WNBA All-Star Game and the post-game fan lounge," said Dana Traci,
Vice President of Prepaid & Partner Marketing for Discover Card. "In
addition, our broader relationship with the WNBA helps us to promote
financial responsibility to children."
Discover Card's presentation of the WNBA All-Star Game is in
addition to a multi-year agreement signed last year between Discover
Card and the WNBA. Under the agreement, Discover Card recently
launched its WNBA Team Affinity Cards, which feature logos of the 13
WNBA teams.
Additionally, last season Discover Card was the first-ever partner
of the league to display its logo on the court and now the first-ever
non-apparel partner to have its logo appear on the WNBA All-Star
jersey. The Discover Card logo appears on the court during WNBA games
televised nationally on ESPN2, ABC and NBA TV.
As the official credit card of the WNBA, Discover Card offers
special incentives and benefits to WNBA fans, including exclusive team
card designs and the opportunity to make a $20 donation to WNBA Cares
upon the applicant's first purchase.
About the WNBA
The WNBA will tip off its second decade of play in 2007 and will
feature a record number of national telecasts. Comprehensive coverage
of the WNBA regular season will include 92 national telecasts on ABC,
ESPN2 and NBA TV. The season will begin on May 19 when the defending
champion Detroit Shock host the Sacramento Monarchs in a rematch of
last year's WNBA Finals. The WNBA All-Star Game will be played at
Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. on July 15 at 3:30 pm ET with live
coverage on ABC. In 2006, the WNBA concluded its historic tenth season
with an action-packed WNBA Playoffs. The 2006 WNBA Finals capped a
playoff run in which the WNBA saw significant increases in attendance
and viewership. The Finals, which aired live on ESPN2, saw the Detroit
Shock top the Sacramento Monarchs in the first WNBA Finals match up
ever to go to a fifth and deciding game. For more information on the
WNBA, please visit WNBA.com.
About Discover Financial Services
Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) operates the Discover Card
with more than 50 million cardmembers, the Discover Network with
millions of merchant and cash access locations, and the Goldfish
credit card business in the United Kingdom. Discover Financial
Services also operates the PULSE ATM/debit network, which serves more
than 4,400 financial institutions and includes nearly 260,000 ATMs, as
well as POS terminals, nationwide. For more information, visit
www.discoverfinancial.com.
CONTACT: NBA/WNBA
Kim Mandara, 212.407.8086
kmandara@nba.com
or
Discover Card
Matt Towson, 224.405.5649
matthewtowson@discover.com
SOURCE: Discover Financial Services