NBA Europe Live to showcase Celtics, Mavs, top Euro teams

The four-game tour tips off on Oct. 5 when the 17-time NBA Champion Boston Celtics play five-time Turkish Champions Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul at the newly opened, state-of-the-art Ulker Sports Arena in Istanbul, Turkey. The highly successful O2 World in Berlin, Germany, will be the venue for the homecoming of German national Dirk Nowitzki as the 2011 NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks take on eight-time German Champions Alba Berlin on Oct. 6. Next stop is Milan, Italy, where 25-time Italian Champions EA7 Emporio Armani will match up against the Celtics at the Mediolanum Forum on Oct.7. Since 2006 both of the leading basketball competitions, Euroleague Basketball and the NBA, have been coming together to offer fans spectacular basketball and this year is no exception," said Roser Queralto, Euroleague Basketball's Chief Business Development Officer. "Some of the best and historic teams from the NBA will face off with some of the strongest Euroleague and European teams for some exciting preseason games to warm up for the next season." Istanbul. adidas will return as a Pan-European partner, a position it has held for all six editions of the tour...As the official bank of the NBA, we intend to provide extraordinary content to fans through our brand, promoting the values of effort, innovation and teamwork embodied by the two best basketball leagues in the world." Following the NBA Europe Live Tour 2012, over 450,000 fans will have attended 32 Europe Live games in 12 cities since the inaugural NBA Europe Live series that took place in 2006. In total, 60 games featuring 25 NBA teams will have been played in 18 cities in Europe since 1988. Extensive community events and programs will again compliment the on-court action in each of the four cities. As part of its NBA Cares initiative, the NBA family has helped create and build 23 places in Europe where children and families can live, learn or play in nine European countries. NBA Europe Live 2012 will also consist of a range of activities for fans in addition to the games, including interactive fan events, basketball development programs, player appearances and more.