The American Basketball Association (ABA) and International Apparel Group, Inc., Announce Plans for the Creation of ABA Apparel
March 19 2007 - 11:13AM
PR Newswire (US)
Officially Licensed Apparel Lets Fans 'Join the Game' INDIANAPOLIS,
March 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The American Basketball
Association (ABA) (OTC:ABKB) (BULLETIN BOARD: ABKB) today announced
that it has signed a letter of intent with International Apparel
Group, Inc. for the creation of ABA Apparel, LLC. The professional
basketball league is fostering this partnership in order to
capitalize on the rapid expansion of the ABA, its increased
globalization efforts and the new status of the league as a
publicly traded entity. ABA Apparel will have the exclusive rights
for the development of ABA on- and off-court team apparel and
retail merchandise. ABA Apparel is designed to enable the league to
maximize its profitability in an area that has been extremely
successful for other professional sports leagues including retail
sales of licensed apparel. It should also allow the league to
create uniformity, consistency and create the potential for revenue
sharing with its member teams. The ABA anticipates that an
estimated 60 plus teams will be playing in the US, Canada and
Mexico for the 2007-2008 season and it expects the league to grow
to its target of 100 teams over the next 4-5 years. "We are very
pleased to be able to form this partnership with IAG," stated Joe
Newman, ABA CEO. "Because of the size of the league and our
expansion into Mexico and Canada, we have been approached by many
apparel companies. IAG is an outstanding company. Their design team
is extraordinary, they understand our league and its objectives,
they have tremendous reach into the retail market and they are very
knowledgeable about the sports apparel industry. We are really
looking forward to working with them to maximize the potential that
this extraordinary opportunity provides for the league and its
teams." International Apparel Group, Inc. (IAG) is a division of
Total Luxury Group, Inc. (OTC:TLEI) (BULLETIN BOARD: TLEI) . IAG
creates functional and lifestyle apparel that appeals to a broad
range of retail consumers due to cutting edge designs, competitive
pricing, and associations with famous, dynamic personalities in
sports and music. The company has also implemented a successful and
growing, full-service private label design and production program,
serving recognizable names like Converse, the oldest sneaker and
athletic apparel brand in the US; Randy Moss Clothing, a new line
from one of the NFL's highest profile players as well as official
licensed apparel and jerseys for the NIFL, and other professional
sports leagues. Janon Costley, IAG President stated, "I am
extremely excited about the potential of this relationship. We have
witnessed the rapid expansion of the ABA over the last several
years. By analyzing the league and its target audience, we feel
that we have put together a good strategy that will appeal to the
league, the teams, the fans and the average consumer that will
allow ABA Apparel to succeed at a league level and in various
retail categories." Costley continued, "We started our first
company several years ago by focusing on sports apparel. Since that
time we have developed products in many different apparel
categories for company owned brands and for companies such as
Converse, Inc. We feel that the ABA partnership brings us full
circle by allowing us to utilize these experiences to assist in
building an apparel brand for the ABA." About Total Luxury Group,
Inc. Total Luxury Group, Inc., which currently holds a
distributorship agreement for MCM, AG, has been seeking additional
opportunities within the consumer products industry for acquisition
of companies that have a proven management team, and desirable
products or services. In July of 2006, Total Luxury Group, Inc.
acquired International Apparel Group, Inc., an apparel holding
company that through its subsidiary companies manufactures and
sells apparel to major retailers and distributors around the world.
About ABA American Basketball Association, Inc. is an Indiana
corporation that is engaged in operating a professional basketball
league composed of teams in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The ABA is innovative in its approach to bring diverse,
family-friendly, exciting basketball to true fans. ABA also markets
league-related merchandise and other products and is developing or
expanding media outlets and ancillary entertainment businesses that
complement the league's operations. For more information about the
ABA please visit http://www.abalive.com/. To be added to the ABA
news distribution list please click here:
http://www.abalive.com/emailalerts.html?b=1485&1-1 Safe Harbor
Statement This release contains forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the
"safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such
forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties,
including without limitation, continued acceptance of the Company's
products, increased levels of competition for the Company, new
products and technological changes, the Company's dependence on
third-party suppliers, and other risks detailed from time to time
in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. The Company does not undertake to update
forward-looking statements in this news release to reflect actual
results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors
affecting such forward-looking information. Assumptions and other
information that could cause results to differ from those set forth
in the forward-looking statement. DATASOURCE: American Basketball
Association, Inc. CONTACT: Chris Rosgen of Capital Market
Relations, +1-949-481-9739, for American Basketball Association,
Inc.; or Janon Costley, +1-305-892-6744, for both TOTAL LUXURY
GROUP, INC. and International Apparel Group, Inc. Web site:
http://www.totalluxurygroup.com/ Web site: http://www.abalive.com/
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