NEW YORK, May 14 -- The National Basketball Developmental League (NBDL), the NBA's new minor league, on Monday announced it has reached an agreement with Host Communications, Inc., to augment the new league's sponsorship sales efforts in soliciting national, regional, and local sponsors.

Host will be offering integrated programs that will include promotion and marketing rights, media on ESPN and ESPN2, tickets, and hospitality opportunities. This deal is an extension of an existing relationship between Host and the NBA. The two organizations are partners in Hall of Fame Properties, the sales and marketing arm of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Host also manages the Hoop-It-Up program, an international three-on-three basketball tournament which will include stops in all eight NBDL cities this upcoming year.

"We are pleased to extend our partnership with Host Communications to include a joint sales effort on the NBDL," said Heidi Ueberroth, NBA Executive Vice President of Global Media Properties and Marketing Partnerships. "Host's knowledge of the sports landscape in the southeast combined with their extensive experience in basketball, grassroots events and marketing makes this an ideal partnership."

"The opportunity to strengthen our relationship with the NBA gives Host Communications a great asset in a marketplace where we already have a strong presence," said Marc Kidd, Host Communications President and COO. "Our strong position in the Southeast is a real positive for the NBA in the launching of the new league. It also allows us to continue to build multiple platforms to the advertising/sponsorship community for those companies that want to have a major presence in this new property."