The WNBA, General Motors Corp. and its Buick Motor
Division, and Champion officially announced a partnership in
the fight against breast cancer yesterday at Madison Square
Garden. As part of the partnership, the organizations will
undertake a variety of initiatives during the WNBA's
inaugural season to promote education and awareness of
breast cancer. Funds generated through the initiatives will
be donated to the National Alliance of Breast Cancer
Organizations (NABCO). The WNBA will support the effort by
producing and airing PSAs during nationally televised games
on Lifetime, NBC and ESPN (WNBA).
GM TAKES THE LEAD: Under GM's lead, the initiative is
designed to raise a projected $250,000 for the NABCO (WNBA).
WNBA President Val Ackerman: "We're taking a wait-and-see
attitude about getting involved in a cause-related
initiative. But G.M. came to us with interest in using the
W.N.B.A. to make a very powerful statement" (N.Y. TIMES,
5/22). Philip Guarascio, GM's VP & GM North American Ops
Marketing and Advertising, told THE DAILY that the company's
WNBA sponsorship is attractive because it lets GM "get
involved on the ground floor." Guarascio added that 50% of
GM's car owners are women, and the WNBA association will not
only target this audience, but hopefully strengthen the GM
name with this demo in other sponsorship areas (THE DAILY).
GM's Buick division will also donate $1,000 to NABCO in the
name of the Buick Regal Supercharge Player of the Game for
each of the 32 nationally televised WNBA games. Also, as
part of its Supercharge Challenge promo, GM will feature
eight specially designed Regals, incorporating the logos of
each WNBA team. The vehicles will be displayed at WNBA
arenas and local shopping malls throughout the season (GM).
CHAMPION: Champion will donate a percentage of sales of
its WNBA-licensed merchandise during the '97 season to the
NABCO initiative. Champion also unveiled the league's eight
team uniforms yesterday at the MSG press conference (WNBA).
In New York, Ursula Reel notes with the exception of the
N.Y. Liberty, the eight teams will sport colors similar to
their city's NBA counterparts. The N.Y.'s Liberty colors
are white, black and Liberty green (N.Y. POST, 5/22).
