Says Support for Atlantic Yards is “Unwavering”

Barclays, a leading global financial services company and the naming rights partner for the future Barclays Center, today affirmed its commitment to the future arena in Brooklyn and the updated timeline for a 2009 groundbreaking. The Barclays Center, which is designed by Frank Gehry, will be the world-class home of the Nets.

“Barclays is unwavering in its commitment to the Barclays Center and we are very pleased with our long-term alliance with our great partners, the Nets and Forest City Ratner Companies (FCRC),” said Gerard LaRocca, Chief Administrative Officer, Americas, at Barclays Capital, the investment banking division of Barclays PLC. “We are very excited about being part of the continued renaissance of Brooklyn and we eagerly look forward to opening night at the Barclays Center.”

“Since we announced our 20-year naming rights partnership in January 2007, Barclays has offered nothing but resolute and great support,” Nets Chief Executive Officer Brett Yormark said. “We deeply appreciate our partnership with such a well-respected and distinguished company, which shares our love for Brooklyn and our strong sense of community.”

“We are thrilled to have Barclays as a partner,” said Bruce Ratner, chairman and CEO of Forest City Ratner Companies, a subsidiary of Forest City Enterprises, Inc., and the chairman of Nets Sports and Entertainment, LLC, which owns the Nets. “The Barclays Center will be one of the most spectacular sports and entertainment arenas in the world. Even more importantly, it is a centerpiece of a development that will bring thousands of jobs and affordable housing units to Brooklyn.” Forest City Enterprises has an equity interest in Nets Sports and Entertainment.

In addition to its naming rights commitment, Barclays continues to play a major role as the co-lead in the financing of the Barclays Center. Momentum for the Barclays Center continued recently when the Internal Revenue Service issued a new regulation that confirms that tax exempt bonds may be used to finance the arena.

The multifaceted partnership among Barclays, the Nets, and FCRC includes the Barclays/Nets Community Alliance, which invests $1 million per year in local non-profits that work to improve the lives of young people in Brooklyn and surrounding communities through sports and other activities, including education and health care. Last month, the Barclays/Nets Community Alliance unveiled a new playground at Public School 19 in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, which marked the first of eight Brooklyn playgrounds that the Alliance will fund with a grant to Out2Play, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to building and refurbishing playgrounds throughout the New York City public school system.

Information on the Barclays Center can be found at www.barclayscenter.com .

Source: Nets Basketball

Think of Dee Brown and images of his famous ‘No-Look’ dunk that won the 1991 NBA Slam Dunk title come to mind. Or maybe it’s his twelve exciting years in the NBA playing for teams like the Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors. More recently it’s his Edge Basketball Program that is turning heads in the sports world. All why PrimeTime Sports (PT Sports) is so pleased to announce that Dee Brown has partnered with the state-of-the-art training facility to oversee its basketball department and bring his revolutionary Edge Basketball Program to PT Sports and Boca Raton.

“If you forget that Dee Brown is a sports celebrity and draws a crowd, he’s actually one of the best basketball training minds in the world. His Edge Basketball Program is world-renown and our athletes will see massive improvements,” said Matt Cannold, PrimeTime Sports partner. “We are thrilled to partner with Dee Brown and are excited that he’s embraced our concept.”

PrimeTime Sports, located in Boca Raton at 6500 West Rogers Circle, is a unique, 20,000 square-foot athletic training facility offering a combination of the most authentic playing surfaces, state of the art equipment and top level trainers. PT Sports’ youth programs work with kids from the ages of 7-18 with the goals and skill levels ranging from beginners looking for a foundation to foster a love of athletics to individuals aspiring to play at the Division I level and beyond. www.primetimeboca.com

“I love the fact that PrimeTime Sports is focusing on the young athlete with proper training techniques that will focus on skill development and enable them to get to the next level they desire,” said Dee Brown, Owner and Creator of the Edge Basketball Program. “There are two types of players, trained and untrained … guess who is going to have the edge? I’m looking forward to implementing a system at PrimeTime Sports that not only builds skill, but character and personality.”

The Edge Basketball Program is designed to create a college and professional level environment, focused on teaching and learning higher level individual basketball skills. Its goal is improvement rather than “just playing” and that is achieved through skill development training in a motivating environment. www.edgebasketball.com

PrimeTime’s sport specific programs include a combination of skill development and performance training for sports like Basketball, Baseball, Football, Lacrosse, Tennis, Soccer and Running. Most young athletes dream about training like the professionals, but lack the facilities and instruction necessary, which is exactly what PrimeTime Sports delivers. This state-of- the-art athletic training facility will offer an intense, motivating environment where maximizing an athlete’s potential and performance is the clear vision. PrimeTime’s youth programs provide sports-specific instruction delivered by the same trainers and coaches who have trained world-class athletes in all sports. For more information call (561) 998-7830 or visit www.primetimeboca.com.

Source: PrimeTime Sports

The following is being issued by University of Detroit Mercy. The day’s schedule follows:

12:00 p.m. — Lunch in the Titans’ Hall of Fame lobby in Calihan Hall.

12:30 p.m. — Presentations by Horizon League commissioner Jon LeCrone, UDM athletic director Keri Gaither, new women’s basketball coach Autumn Rademacher and new men’s basketball coach Ray McCallum.

1:10 p.m. — The Titan players and coaches will be available for individual interviews and photos.

Additionally, we will hold a three-point shooting contest for members of the media as a way of introducing the new three-point distance to be used in men’s college basketball this season.

2:00 p.m. - The Titan men’s team will begin its practice, open for 30 minutes to members of the media interested in any additional photos or “B Roll.”

All sports reporters, broadcasters and photographers are cordially invited to the 2008 Titan Basketball Media Day. If you plan to be in attendance to meet the coaches and the Titan players, please contact the Sports Information Office by Nov. 4.

We greatly appreciate the coverage you have given Detroit Titans basketball in the past, and we look forward to working with you again this year, beginning with Media Day, if not before.

Source: University of Detroit Mercy