Subject:
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Lego Company “Clicks” With NBA On Innovative New Basketball Game
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lugnet.mediawatch
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Mon, 30 Sep 2002 22:03:45 GMT
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Lego Company “Clicks” With NBA On Innovative New Basketball Game
Internetwire Fri 27 Sep 2002
SPRINGFIELD, MA -- (INTERNET WIRE) The LEGO Company and the National
Basketball Association (NBA) will team-up with 2002 Basketball Hall of Fame
inductees Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry Brown today to unveil a new line
of LEGO® NBA products under the LEGO Sports category. As part of the product
line, LEGO Company will produce mini-figures in the likeness of 24 NBA
players, marking the first time in history its mini-figures will be based on
real people.
Johnson (NBA legend and chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Theatres and
Johnson Development Corporation) and Brown (Philadelphia 76ers Head Coach)
will showcase the new build-and-play LEGO NBA assortment of toys at an event
at the new Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, the
birthplace of Basketball in 1891. Johnson and Brown were inducted into the
Basketball Hall of Fame yesterday.
Available at retail beginning in January 2003, the 14 new LEGO NBA sets will
translate LEGO values such as creativity, togetherness and fun into
innovative build-and-compete basketball games. Designed to encourage
interactive or solo play, the sets will feature a specially patented spring
action functionality, allowing users to actually pick-up, pass and shoot
baskets with the mini-figures.
“We find the connection between sports and construction to be an especially
strong offering,” says Andrew Black, president of LEGO Systems, Inc. “LEGO
NBA sets combine classic, open-ended construction with the competitive game
play of the NBA – the world’s leading authority on the sport. These all come
together to make this product a slam dunk.”
The cornerstone set, “NBA Challenge”, available in January for a suggested
retail price of $49.99 (USD), includes a full-court of LEGO mini-figure
players to bring NBA action home through multi-player competitive play.
Other sets, like “Ultimate Defense” ($12.99 USD) and “NBA Slam Dunk” ($7.99
USD), include single players in various hoop obstacles and courts, designed
for children to hone their hoop skills – LEGO style.
Beginning October 28, children can visit www.LEGO.com/sports to find out the
first three NBA players who will be featured as LEGO mini-figures. The
players will be revealed through a fictional LEGO NBA Draft – a process
whereby three stand-out NBA players will be “drafted” each week, through
December 16, to join the LEGO team of NBA mini-figures. The 24 drafted
players will be featured in collectible LEGO NBA player sets, containing a
LEGO mini-figure in their likeness and a LEGO Sports Upper Deck® trading
card, packed in eight sets of three each. The collectible mini-figure sets
will be available in January for $7.99 (USD).
Additionally, 10 of the 24 “drafted” NBA players will be featured in the
LEGO “Ultimate NBA Arena” – the deluxe set within the LEGO NBA product line.
Retailing for $89.99 (USD) and available in March 2003, the Ultimate NBA
Arena allows children to build a full basketball arena where some of their
favorite NBA stars can go head-to-head in LEGO NBA action. A special replica
NBA Spalding basketball – in LEGO scale – will be included in both this
deluxe set as well as the “NBA Challenge” set.
“We anticipate the new LEGO line featuring NBA-themed products and NBA
player mini-figures will be very popular with our younger fans,” said Sal
LaRocca, NBA Senior Vice President of Global Merchandising. “The LEGO
assortment is a nice addition to the overall NBA product mix which has
enjoyed a significant surge in popularity over the past 18 months.”
A new NBA marketing partner, LEGO Company will launch a comprehensive global
marketing campaign that will incorporate many of the NBA's integrated
marketing assets, as well as have a feature on NBA.com called the LEGO
Creative Play of the Week. LEGO Company's marketing campaign also will
include an interactive area at the NBA All-Star Jam Session and
participation in the NBA Jam Van - the league's interactive travelling
basketball experience.
Coinciding with the family activities surrounding the grand opening
festivities of the new Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend, local children
are invited to help piece together the “World’s Largest NBA Spalding
Basketball Made of LEGO bricks,” constructed of 148,950 pieces and measuring
eight feet in diameter.
http://www.georgiapost.com/p/2d/128308734d25.html?id=f2ba0b
jt
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