PONY International announced that Boston Celtics' forward Ricky Davis has signed with PONY to endorse the brand for the re-launch of its performance basketball line in fall 2005. The arrangement includes a signature Ricky Davis basketball shoe, point of purchase material, print advertising and promotional appearances by the Celtics star.
Davis, who was a first round selection in the 1998 NBA Draft out of the University of Iowa, electrified fans with his fourth-place finish in the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk competition and became a valuable contributor to Boston's resurgence this past season, averaging 16 points per game. His play made him one of the leading vote-getters for the NBA Sixth Man Award in 2004-05. He becomes the first active NBA player to endorse PONY in nearly a decade following the purchase of the PONY brand by Global Brand Marketing, Inc. (GBMI) in 2003.
“We wanted to partner with a player who was dynamic, colorful, hard-working and exciting, all in one package,” says Killick Datta, CEO of GBMI, the majority owner of PONY International. “Ricky fits that mould perfectly and we are excited about the opportunity to work with him as we return the brand to the presence it had in the late '70s and early 1980s with legends like Darryl Dawkins, Wilt Chamberlain, Earl Monroe, and Spud Webb.”
“I am really excited to wear PONY shoes on the court in 2005 and to be the spokesperson for them in basketball. I am helping bring PONY back into the NBA for the first time in nearly 30 years,” says Davis. “I'll be wearing my PONYs on-and-off the court. It is a cool brand that is authentic, hip and attitude all at the same time.”
PONY's basketball line will include the performance EKG, Davis' signature shoe, and the retro-performance Poise shoe that blends old school style with modern materials.
