POSTED: Monday January 25th 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TNT Teams with Grammy-winning Artist Usher for Exclusive Video Promoting 2010 NBA All-Star
“More” Used for Promotional Spots and in Regal Cinemas Video
Turner Network Television (TNT) announced today that it has joined forces with five-time Grammy-winning artist Usher to feature the singer’s song “More” as part of the network’s marketing campaign for 2010 NBA All-Star. TNT filmed an exclusive music video with Usher that will serve as a promotional spot airing in Regal Cinemas beginning Friday, Jan. 29. In addition, the video will be used as part of the network’s campaign to promote its exclusive coverage of 2010 NBA All-Star Game in Dallas, TX on Sunday, Feb. 14. The clip of the video can be found at: http://www.nba.com/video/channels/tnt_overtime/2009/12/25/20091225_allstar_usher_promo.nba/index.html
Usher’s full-length music video for “More” will debut in 600 Regal Cinemas on more than 4,000 screens across the country. Also, 30, 20 and 10-second spots will air on across Turner’s entertainment networks including TNT, TBS, CNN, HLN, Cartoon Network and truTV. The video features Usher along with infused NBA footage featuring the league’s stars including LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers), Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers), Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat), Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics) and Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets), among others.
“Usher’s “More’’ is the perfect song to depict the energy, intensity and drama of the NBA and a great metaphor for what it takes to become an NBA All-Star,” said Craig Barry, senior vice president/creative director of Turner Sports. “NBA All-Star is about honoring the league’s brightest stars and providing a weekend of entertainment and excitement to the fans. This is the perfect stage for Usher who is both a huge fan and a captivating entertainer."
“As a huge fan of the NBA I had a great time working with TNT to shoot a new video for NBA All-Star that infuses basketball and incorporates some of the biggest names in the game,” said Usher. “The song ‘More’ is a great anthem for the sport and I’m glad to be a part of this year’s NBA All-Star Game in Dallas.”
Previous musical pairings with Turner Sports for its sports programming include Jay-Z (NBA), Pharrell (NBA All-Star), Britney Spears (NBA All-Star), Kevin Rudolf (NBA Playoffs), Fort Minor (NBA Playoffs), Bon Jovi (MLB), Buckcherry (NASCAR), The Rolling Stones (NASCAR), Hinder (NASCAR) and many others.
Usher, named Top Hot 100 Artist of The Decade by Billboard Magazine, has achieved global superstardom as a singer, composer, producer, film and television actor, businessman and philanthropist. Since hitting the music scene in 1994, he has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide and won countless awards and accolades, including five Grammys. His fifth album Confessions in 2004 sold more than a million copies its first week of release, the highest debut-week numbers ever for a male R&B artist. It went on to become the biggest selling album of the year and earned Usher three Grammys and numerous other accolades. “Yeah!,” “Burn” and “Confessions Part II” all topped the charts as Usher became the first solo artist in history to have three singles within Billboard’s Top 10 simultaneously. He followed up with the highly rated Showtime special One Night, One Star: Live from Puerto Rico, a 2006 run as Billy Flynn in the hit Broadway musical Chicago and the 2008 platinum CD Here I Stand. Outside the recording studio, Usher is the visionary leader behind Usher’s New Look, Inc., an organization established to empower youth from underserved communities by giving them the skills necessary to become corporate and community leaders. New Look hosts a free two-week residential Sports and Entertainment Camp in Atlanta and more than 1,300 disadvantaged youth from around the country have been given the extraordinary opportunity to improve their athletic, academic and artistic talents. Through the New Look Foundation, he launched “Powered By Service,” an initiative designed to get young people around the world involved in changing the most pressing problems facing them and their communities—whether it be preventing Malaria, increasing access to clean water, or encouraging teens worldwide to participate in the Haitian Relief effort. On the business side, in 2007, Usher launched the top-selling men’s and women’s fragrance line, Usher HE and Usher SHE, through a partnership with Elizabeth Arden, with a second line UR For Men and UR For Women in 2008. His most recent collaboration with Elizabeth Arden is a new line of men’s fragrances called VIP.
TNT will air extensive coverage of the 2010 NBA All-Star festivities from Dallas, TX, including exclusive coverage of the Sophomore-Rookie Challenge (Feb. 12), All-Star Saturday Night (Feb. 13) and the NBA All-Star Game (Feb. 14).
Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., presents some of the best and most popular sporting events worldwide and is a leader in televised and online sports programming. With events airing on TBS and TNT, Turner Sports’ line-up includes NASCAR and NASCAR.COM, the NBA, Major League Baseball, professional golf, PGATOUR.COM and PGA.com. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA League Pass, NBADLeague.com and WNBA.com.
TNT, one of cable’s top-rated networks, is television’s destination for drama and home to such original series as the acclaimed and highly popular detective drama The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick; Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano; Saving Grace, starring Holly Hunter; HawthoRNe, with Jada Pinkett Smith; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; and Dark Blue, starring Dylan McDermott; as well as the newly acquired Southland, from ER creator John Wells. TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, CSI: NY and Numb3rs; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards®; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is available in high-definition.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
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TURNER SPORTS CONTACT:
Megan Bondi Turner Sports 404-827-0297 megan.bondi@turner.com
USHER CONTACT
Simone Smalls Simone Smalls PR 917-388-3890 simone@simonesmallspr.com
# # #
Name: Megan Bondi
Organization: Turner Sports
Email:
Phone: 404-827-0297
URL: http://www.turner.com
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