NEW BALANCE PARTNERS WITH NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC SPORTS FOUNDATION AND THE NEW BALANCE TRACK & FIELD CENTER AT THE ARMORY FOR THE NEW BALANCE INDOOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kristen Sullivan, New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc.
617/746-2421, kristen.sullivan@newbalance.com

Jim Spier, National Scholastic Sports Foundation
919/490-5206, jim.spier@nationalscholastic.org

NEW BALANCE PARTNERS WITH NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC SPORTS FOUNDATION AND THE NEW BALANCE TRACK & FIELD CENTER AT THE ARMORY FOR THE NEW BALANCE INDOOR NATIONALS

BOSTON, MA, December 8, 2010 – Global athletic leader New Balance is pleased to announce an official multi-year partnership with the National Scholastic Sports Foundation (NSSF) and the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory in New York City in the New Balance Indoor Nationals. The event will bring together the best indoor track and field high school athletes from across the country for a weekend of intense competition.

“New Balance is thrilled to partner with the NSSF and the Armory for the New Balance Indoor Nationals,” said Josh Rowe, marketing manager, running at New Balance. “Serving as an official sponsor of this event is an effective way for us to support the high school track and field running community. It is also very exciting for us to have both the indoor and outdoor high school track and field national meets under one New Balance umbrella.”

For the past decade there have been two indoor national championship meets, with the National Scholastic Sports Foundation operating one of the meets, the Indoor Nationals (previously called the Indoor Classic) since 1999, most recently hosting it at the Reggie Lewis Sports Complex in Boston, MA. The new three way partnership of New Balance, the NSSF, and the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory combines the two distinct events into one high school track & field championship meet at the world’s greatest indoor track and field facility.

“We are excited to partner with both New Balance and the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory for this meet,” said meet director Jim Spier. “We recognize the passion and commitment both entities bring to high school running and are eager to work together. Now having one indoor high school championship means that the most talented student-athletes in the country will be competing head-to-head in one unified meet, which will bring this event to new unprecedented levels.”

“We are delighted that New Balance and the National Scholastic Sports Foundation have joined to bring a true unified National High School Championship here to the Armory,” said Armory President Norb Sander. “It will be a great meet with a wonderful setting for our student-athletes from across the country.”

Similar to the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, the New Balance Indoor Nationals event will feature a team scoring element in addition to the individual championships. Specifically, scoring will award points to the top 8 places (10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1) in each event. New Balance will award trophies to the top three boys and girls teams, for a total of six trophies. New Balance will also award the top program for each gender with uniforms for the upcoming 2010-2011 season.

In 2011, the New Balance Indoor Nationals will be held on March 11-13th.


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About New Balance
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA has the following mission: Demonstrating responsible leadership, we build global brands that athletes are proud to wear, associates are proud to create and communities are proud to host. New Balance employs more than 4000 people around the globe, and in 2008 reported worldwide sales of $1.64 billion. For more information please visit http://www.newbalance.com.

About NSSF
The National Scholastic Sports Foundation is an organization dedicated to the support of junior age (sub-20) and high school track and field. Aside from offering support to the USATF Junior Track and Field and selected high school track and field meets, we own and operate the NB Indoor Nationals, the New Balance Outdoor Nationals, and the Great American Cross Country Festival. For more information please visit: www.nationalscholastic.org.

About the Armory Foundation:
A non-profit organization based in New York City, the Armory hosts over 100 indoor track & field meets yearly with over 125,000 individual athletes. Besides its many youth sports and educational programs, the Armory directs the Hispanic Games, The New Balance Games, and the New Balance Collegiate at the Armory the largest indoor college meet nationally. The Armory is additionally the owner of the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden. For more information please visit: www.ArmoryTrack.com

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