Woodinville, WA – June 2, 2011 — Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc. (BDA), the nation’s premier Merchandise Agency™ and recognized leader in sports and entertainment merchandise activation, is hosting its first annual Football Think Tank this week at Seattle’s Qwest Field and BDA Headquarters in Woodinville.

Representatives from 11 NFL franchises and the league offices will attend the two-day workshop, an opportunity to share best practices, encourage communication across teams, discuss the latest marketplace trends and uncover product ideas for sponsor activation, ticket renewal premiums and much more. BDA is the only supplier in the nation organizing a workshop of this caliber to better educate buyers.

“We’re fortunate to be in the position to bring team and league officials together, in person, to share ideas and discuss hot-button issues,” said BDA CEO and co-founder Jay Deutsch. “With this type of interactive format, we learn as much from our guests as they learn from us.”

Guest speakers include:
• Jay Deutsch, BDA CEO and co-founder – The State of Sports Promotions
• Gary Wright, Seattle Sounders FC SVP of business operations – The Fan Experience
• Ron Jenkins, Seattle Seahawks/Sounders VP of corporate sales – Bringing Value to a Partnership (discussion)
• Tiffany Montgomery, NFL consumer products manager – League Updates

BDA will also share product trends for the 2011-12 NFL season and review importing, testing and compliance standards and regulations.

As the official League Store partner and premium licensee to the NFL, BDA produces branded merchandise and executes comprehensive on-site solutions at the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl, Draft, Combine and International Series.

BDA also hosts an annual Baseball Think Tank that has become a fixture on the offseason calendar of Major League Baseball representatives. Such events are a major initiative for BDA’s ProActivation™ division, a specialized group formed in 2010 to focus on creating brand affinity and building customized sponsorship activation campaigns with teams, leagues and their corporate partners.

“In the 16 years we’ve been running our Baseball Think Tank, it’s evolved into a can’t-miss event for the league officials, teams and sponsors. We’re committed to building that same great experience for our NFL partners,” Deutsch said. “These events have proven to drive product innovation and create new sponsorship activation opportunities. Together, we’re redefining what makes successful sports premiums.”

ABOUT BDA
Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc. (BDA), the nation's first and only Merchandise Agency™, provides marketing services and customized branded merchandise to Fortune 500 enterprises, major sports leagues and global entertainment holding companies. Clients come to BDA to extend their reach through custom branded-merchandise campaigns, integrated e-commerce marketing, and sports and entertainment sponsorship activation. Global brands such as Bank of America, Dell, GlaxoSmithKline, ExxonMobil, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, and Major League Baseball are but a few of the household names that rely on BDA to bring their marketing campaigns to life through merchandise. BDA attained the coveted Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) certification in 2008 highlighting the company’s advanced quality assurance practices for importing products from overseas. For more information on the power of merchandise, visit www.bdainc.com.

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Media Contact:
Catharine Neblett
Barokas PR for BDA
206.264.8220
Catharine@barokas.com