AIR MILES® Reaches New Heights with NBA Canada Marketing Partnership

- Two-Year Agreement Unites Two Brands with Deep Canadian Roots to
Bring Fans Closer to the Game -

TORONTO, Oct. 3, 2014 /CNW/ - The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the AIR MILES Reward Program today announced a new agreement to make AIR MILES an official marketing partner of the NBA in Canada. The agreement brings AIR MILES Collectors closer to the game of basketball through a series of unique, multi-channel experiences tipping off this month. 

"We are thrilled to partner with the NBA to bring basketball closer to AIR MILES Collectors through unique experiences that will reward their love of the game," said Rachel MacQueen, Vice President, Marketing, AIR MILES Reward Program. "Basketball is a big part of the everyday lives of so many Canadians, just like AIR MILES, and we are looking forward to working together to ignite a community of basketball fans across the country."

"The NBA has a rich history in Canada, and we are excited to be partnering with an authentic, Canadian brand such as AIR MILES to celebrate the passion of basketball fans from coast-to-coast," said Dan MacKenzie, Vice President and Managing Director, NBA Canada. "From the invention of basketball, to the first-ever league game being played at Maple Leaf Gardens, Canadian influence is deeply rooted in the NBA. We see this partnership as a way to celebrate the history of the game and excite the next generation of basketball fans in Canada."

Tipping off this month, AIR MILES is bringing the excitement of basketball to Collectors with a three-city tour of Canadian university and college campuses. Through the NBA Campus Pass presented by AIR MILES, students at Simon Fraser University, Humber College and Carleton University will have the opportunity to interact with NBA players and legends, pose with The Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy and engage in a half-court skills competition. 

• Simon Fraser University – Friday, October 3, 2014
  • 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM PDT
  • Two-time NBA Champion, Isiah Thomas, will make an appearance
•  Humber College – Thursday, October 9, 2014
  • NBA personality and exact timing to be announced
• Carleton University – Saturday, October 18, 2014
  • NBA personality and exact timing to be announced

In addition to the NBA Campus Pass, AIR MILES Collectors will enjoy preferred entry and instant seat upgrades at the NBA Canada Series presented by Bell - two preseason games in Vancouver and Montreal on Oct. 5 and Oct. 24, respectively:

• Vancouver – Sunday, October 5, 2014; Rogers Arena; Toronto Raptors vs. Sacramento Kings
• Montreal – Friday, October 24, 2014; Bell Centre; Toronto Raptors vs. New York Knicks

From October 26, 2014 to January 1, 2015, AIR MILES will launch NBA All-Star 2015 Sweepstakes, an exclusive contest that provides Collectors with a chance to win a VIP trip for two to NBA All-Star 2015, hosted in Brooklyn and Manhattan from February 13-15. In addition to tickets to the 2015 NBA All-Star Game, this exciting package gives two lucky individuals access to:

• State Farm All-Star Saturday Night – A series of skills competitions featuring top players and legends
• Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game – A friendly competition between celebrities, athletes and NBA legends

About the NBA in Canada
The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada. During the 2013 14 regular season, more than 200 games were broadcast nationally in Canada on TSN, TSN 2, Rogers Sportsnet, Rogers Sportsnet One and NBA TV Canada. The NBA has 15 marketing partners in Canada with adidas, AIR MILES Reward Program, Bell, Cisco, Diageo, Electronic Arts, Foot Locker, Gatorade, Nike, Samsung, SAP, Spalding, Sprite, State Farm and Take Two Interactive. Through NBA Cares, the league, its teams and players have donated more than $220 million to charity, completed more than 2.5 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 805 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.

About the AIR MILES Reward Program
Founded in 1992, the AIR MILES Reward Program is Canada's premier coalition loyalty program with more than 10 million active Collector accounts, representing approximately two-thirds of all Canadian households. The AIR MILES Reward Program allows Collectors to earn reward miles simply by doing their everyday shopping at more than 240 leading brand-name Sponsors, representing thousands of retail and service locations across Canada and leading global brands online. The AIR MILES Reward Program also allows Collectors to indulge in more than 1,200 leisure, entertainment, merchandise and travel rewards and a range of accredited, environmentally-friendly lifestyle rewards. With AIR MILES Cash, Collectors can also have the flexibility to instantly redeem their AIR MILES reward miles in-store and online towards many every day purchases from participating gas, grocery, drug store, and home improvement Sponsors.

^® Registered trademarks of AIR MILES International B.V., used under license by LoyaltyOne, Co.

SOURCE: AIR MILES Reward Program

For further information: Kevin Galbraith, North Strategic for the AIR MILES Reward Program, [e-mail], 647.456.3786