New Press Release
Posted by AND 1 in Press
AND 1 SHUFFLES 2009 PRIORITIES, INCREASES PHILANTHROPIC OUTREACH PLACES MIXTAPE TOUR ON HOLD
Complete Basketball Brand Announces Newly Formed Partnership With Not-For-Profit Organization, Project WE
Aliso Viejo, Calif. (April XX, 2009) – As a complete basketball brand that places as much emphasis on its presence in the community as its presence on the court, AND 1 has restructured some of its 2009 operating initiatives to reflect the current domestic economic downturn. Included in the priority shuffling will be an enhanced focus on contributing to philanthropic endeavors and placing the annual AND 1 Mixtape Tour on hold.
Highlighting its escalated commitment to charitable organizations is a newly formed partnership with the not-for-profit foundation, Project WE. Founded with a goal to improve the lives of young people in foster care through participation in sports, music, fashion and entertainment youth development programs, Project WE, with the help of a corporate sponsorship from AND 1, has developed numerous programs to provide proper tutelage, resources and education to foster children and encourage them to graduate school and explore career opportunities at an early age.
Beyond providing financial assistance, AND 1 will use as many of its resources as possible to aid Project WE. Recently AND 1 executives, Rod Keller and Rob Purvy served as Industry Veteran Mentors for Project WE to give children a unique first-hand perspective of the athletic industry and teach them about the numerous career paths available in the field. Additionally, this past March And 1 and Project We worked directly with Las Vegas County Commissioner, Lawrence Weekly, to bring “Mini March Madness,” a high school girls and boys basketball tournament, skills and drills competition, 3 point contest and slam dunk contest to the community. The event also featured a special segment on the importance of community service and education, connecting the love of the game to the importance of community involvement.
"AND 1's dynamic support for Project WE has served as an essential lifeline in helping launch the organization during an economic recession," said Jeff Penix, Project We co-founder. "Having such a well established sporting goods company on board gives us strong credibility and really adds to the experience for the children we work with."
As the second part of AND 1's 2009 restructuring, the annual Mixtape Tour will not occur domestically during 2009. While the hold is only temporary, a specific date has not been set to relaunch the tour. Rod Keller, AND 1's director of sports marketing, added, "As such a recognizable part of the AND 1 brand it was a very hard call to put the tour on hold this year, but with cash flow tight throughout the country we felt as a brand it would be more responsible to use the money needed to produce the tour by supporting philanthropic endeavors that aren"t getting the contributions they need to survive due to the current economic conditions."
About AND 1
Founded in 1993, AND 1 makes basketball footwear and apparel for players with serious game. The company that first made its mark in the apparel industry with a line of "in your face" trash talk tee shirts now offers a complete product line for basketball players,
including on-and off-court performance footwear, sports apparel and team uniforms. AND 1 endorses Monta Ellis of the Golden State Warriors, Steve Blake of the Portland Trailblazers and star of AND 1 Mix Tape™ Volume 1, Rafer Alston of the Orlando Magic, James Jones of the Miami Heat, and international basketball star Carlos Arroyo. For more information on the brand visit: www.AND1.com.
