National Sports Museum

March 2008: USA Basketball Partners With Sports Museum Of America.

USA Basketball, the national governing body for the sport of basketball, announced a partnership today with The National Sports Museum.

According to USA Basketball executive director Jim Tooley, this exciting new partnership will introduce a broad new audience to the legacy and thrills of basketball. "Basketball's popularity in the United States is well recognized and the sport's popularity continues to skyrocket worldwide. USA Basketball is excited to partner with the NSM. Basketball has a vast, and an immensely rich tradition in the landscape of sports and USA Basketball's inclusion in the NSM will help enrich the experience of every visitor."

Under the terms of the partnership, USA Basketball will provide memorabilia pertaining to the history of basketball and of interest to the projected one million worldwide annual visitors to NSM. Likewise, both partners will undertake joint promotional efforts, and NSM will make an annual donation to USA Basketball.

December 2007: The LeRoy Neiman Mural Will Adorn National Sports Museum

The LeRoy Neiman mural, a work that will be installed in the new Sports Museum of America, represents a "salute to sports" by the prolific artist. In Neiman's words, "Most of the athletes in action I drew or painted live for spirit and gesture but are not intended to represent any particular athlete, team or event."

LeRoy Neiman, who was born in St. Paul, Minn., and trained at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, is best known for his colorful impressionistic views of major sport events.

April 2005: Heisman Finds A Home Within National Sports Museum.

The National Sports Museum, a part of Lower Manhattan's rebuilding effort and the nation's first major museum celebrating all sports, and The Heisman Memorial Trophy Trust announced today that the National Sports Museum will serve as home for the Heisman Memorial Trophy.

"We are thrilled to join the National Sports Museum to bring the Heisman Trophy back home to Lower Manhattan," said William J. Dockery, President of the Heisman Memorial Trophy Trust. "It is fitting that the Trophy be a centerpiece in the nation's first museum of sports, especially given the Heisman's glorious history in Lower Manhattan," added Trustee Brian D. Obergfell. The Heisman will be added to the Canyon of Heroes exhibit.

October 2004: National Sports Museum Taps Octagon To Secure Major Partnerships.

The National Sports Museum, scheduled to open in summer 2006 in New York as the first major museum celebrating all sports, has selected leading sports marketing firm Octagon to help the venue land major corporate partners.

Octagon is looking to determine potential partners for the lower Manhattan tourist attraction. With a public/private structure, the National Sports Museum can integrate its corporate partners into the design of the venue and visitor experience.

"We are committed to building the first world-class venue celebrating all of sports," National Sports Museum CEO Philip Schwalb said in a statement. "To do that, we will need corporate partnerships, and Octagon has an outstanding record building partnerships between corporate America and the sports world."

Octagon is part of the Interpublic Group, one of the world's leading organizations of advertising agencies and marketing services.