Sept. 10, 2007

SPRINGFIELD, MA (September 7, 2007) - Mr. Mannie Jackson, Chairman of the Harlem Globetrotters, was elected as Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Trustees, as announced today by Hall of Fame President and CEO John L. Doleva. Jackson previously served as the Board of Trustees Vice Chairman, and will begin his two year term as Chairman immediately. Jackson replaces Russell T. Granik, who served as Chairman for two consecutive terms from 2003 - 2007.

"I am honored to be elected by our Board of Trustees as its new Chairman, and I am committed to continuing the Hall's mission of preserving the history of the great game of basketball and promoting its core values", stated Mr. Jackson. "I have been fortunate to be part of the Hall of Fame board under the leadership of Russ Granik, and I wish to extend my sincere thanks to Russ for his dedication and work on behalf of the Hall during his term as Chairman. I look forward to leading the Hall to new heights by creating innovative new ways to reach basketball fans worldwide and highlighting the great individuals and teams who have built the foundation for the game we see today."

Jackson, a pillar in both the basketball and sports entertainment arenas, has served as a positive example and role model to his peers in addition to his tremendous business success. A former star for the Harlem Globetrotters, Jackson served as a senior executive for Honeywell Inc. during the 1980's and early 1990's, and saved the Globetrotters from near extinction in 1993 when he purchased the team. In doing so, Mannie Jackson became the first African-American owner of a major international sports and entertainment organization. In a short period of time, Jackson revived the organization and led the Globetrotters to record attendance and revenue growth while expanding the influence of the Globetrotters to more than 118 countries. Under Jackson's watch the Globetrotters charitable contribution totaled over $15 million, and in 2002 the Harlem Globetrotters were elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, an honor shared by only five other teams.

Jackson has personally donated generously to a number of causes, including the American Red Cross, victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf Coast, the Globetrotters Scholarship Foundation, the University of Illinois, South African youth funds, the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Lincoln School Alumni Foundation of his hometown Edwardsville, Illinois.

Because of Jackson's lifelong commitment to the betterment of others, his namesake continues in the form of a yearly award presented by the Basketball Hall of Fame during its Enshrinement Weekend festivities. The Mannie Jackson Human Spirit Award is given annually to an individual who embraces the core values of the game: hard-word, striving to improve, and commitment to others.

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level - professional, collegiate, men and women. For more information on the Hall of Fame, please visit our website at www.hoophall.com or call 1-877-4-HOOPLA. ###