Cisco Teams with NBA to Enhance the League’s Global effort

The
National Basketball Association and Cisco announced a new relationship to
integrate Cisco technology solutions throughout the NBA and work together on
the league’s social responsibility initiative, NBA Cares. The two organizations
will explore ways in which Cisco technology solutions can be used to enhance
the game, increase collaboration with the global NBA community, and bring the
fans closer to the sport whether at home or in the arena. This multi-year,
global effort will span operations in the

United
States and

China.

The NBA will utilize Cisco
technology to expand the way the league connects with fans worldwide. Cisco
core technologies and mobility solutions will be used across various league
platforms to power all of the league’s communications and content delivery.

During marquee NBA events
such as NBA All-Star, the NBA Playoffs and The Finals, Cisco networking
technology solutions will be deployed to enhance the game for fans, corporate
customers, employees and media. Throughout the year on NBA TV, all programming
and full-length games will be delivered to fans throughout the United States
and Asia utilizing encoders and decoders from Scientific Atlanta, a Cisco
company.

As the NBA’s operations in

China
dramatically increase, the two organizations will explore new opportunities for
the league to integrate Cisco technology, including the potential use of
TelePresence to create live, “face-to-face” meeting experiences over
the network. Additionally, the NBA and Cisco will examine the possibilities of
expanding league partner presence at NBA games through in-arena digital
signage.

Beginning this season,
Cisco will join the league’s NBA Cares initiative. Through NBA Cares, Cisco
will work with the NBA to provide

New
Orleans area school districts with educational and
technological resources, and will create 30 family community resource centers.

“This relationship is
a big win for Cisco because it allows us to demonstrate the power of the
network to not only bring fans closer to the action but to also help the league
expand the way they communicate with coaches, media, players and fans,
worldwide,” said Alan Cohen, vice president, enterprise marketing, Cisco.
“In addition to a shared passion for the game of basketball, Cisco and the
NBA share a commitment to social responsibility, and Cisco is honored to be a
part of the NBA Cares initiative and post-Katrina recovery efforts.”

“Cisco is a proven
leader with innovative products that will provide the NBA with the latest
technology to stay connected and enhance the overall NBA game experience for
our fans,” said Steve Hellmuth, executive vice president of operations and
technology for the NBA. “Cisco’s contribution to the NBA family’s efforts
in

New Orleans
through our NBA Cares initiative will help thousands of children and continue
to aid in the resurgence of communities throughout this area.”

Overall, Cisco will
contribute to the league’s season-long outreach initiative in the

New Orleans region that
will feature the entire NBA family: its players, teams, the National Basketball
Players Association, media and marketing partners. Together, they will perform
more than 30,000 hours of hands-on community service and create 40 places where
families can live, learn or play — helping more than 30,000 children by the
conclusion of the 2007-08 NBA season.