RED CLAWS ANNOUNCE ADDITION OF PHILADELPHIA 76ers AS NBA AFFILIATE

76ers Join Celtics and Bobcats as Red Claws NBA Partners

PORTLAND, ME – The Maine Red Claws today introduced the Philadelphia 76ers as an NBA affiliate. The 76ers will join the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Bobcats as a parent club to the Red Claws. Each NBA team can assign up to two NBA players at one time to their NBA D-League partner.

"The Philadelphia 76ers are an excellent team with a great coaching staff and management,” said Red Claws President and General Manager Jon Jennings. “The 76ers have shown a strong commitment to developing young talent and we are thrilled to add them as an NBA affiliate. Philadelphia has been a hotbed of great basketball for generations, and we look forward to continuing that tradition in Maine.”

The 76ers join the Red Claws after one season as an NBA affiliate to the Springfield Armor. Philadelphia moves to Maine after the Armor adopted the hybrid model, with the New Jersey Nets purchasing the sole rights to the Armor’s basketball operations. Nine NBA Development League teams will enter the 2011-12 season with one-to-one NBA affiliations with the remainder of the teams having agreements with two or three NBA teams.

“The Red Claws have enjoyed tremendous relationships with the Charlotte Bobcats and Boston Celtics for two seasons, and we are looking forward to an equally beneficial relationship with the 76ers,” Jennings continued. “We believe the addition of the 76ers can only benefit the tremendous talent we have already seen in Portland during the Red Claws first two seasons.”

One of the hottest tickets in Maine, the Red Claws have packed the house for every home games during their first two seasons. Season ticket prices range from $240 to $600 for the 24-game regular season. A limited number of premium seats are also available. Fans interested in purchasing Hollywood, Gold or Silver ticket packages should call for 207-210-6655 for information. End zone seats, which are reserved for individual ticket sale and group sales, will once again not be available in a season ticket packages to make them available to community and school groups. Individual tickets will go on sale in November. Season tickets may be purchased by calling 207-210-6655 or online at www.maineredclaws.com.