The leading Italian manufacturer of plastic basketball backboards and sports toys has signed a licensing deal with NBA Europe for a line of children’s backboards named after six major NBA players. The line will be distributed as a sports game in sporting goods and toy stores, but the territory covered by the deal is limited for the moment to Italy, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Greece and Belgium, although Faiplast has important clients in other European countries as well. Spalding remains as the licensee for NBA adult’s backboards.
Faiplast’s NBA backboards will prominently feature the names and the photos of the six NBA players – Andea Bargnani of the Toronto Raptors, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks, Pau Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies, Shaq O’Neal of the Miami Heat, Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The deal runs until the end of 2009. Production will start at the company’s Italian plant in September and the first deliveries will be made to Italian stores in time for the Christmas selling season. The other countries will follow in the Spring.
