CONVERSE ANNOUNCES
LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIP WITH
BASKETBALL SUPERSTAR ELTON BRAND
Converse creates exclusive JCPenney signature product
line for newly acquired Philadelphia 76er Elton Brand

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (November 10, 2008) – Converse announced today a long-term, strategic partnership with professional basketball star Elton Brand to create signature performance basketball footwear available exclusively at JCPenney locations nationwide and online at jcp.com.

"Elton has proven himself to be a tremendous force on the basketball court.  His work ethic, leadership, consistency and commitment to the community make him a great addition to the Converse basketball roster,” said Geoff Cottrill, chief marketing officer for Converse. “As a leading Converse retail location and a place where Elton shopped with his mom growing up, JCPenney makes this partnership a perfect fit to sell his signature footwear line.”

Converse’s Elton Brand line will launch with the EB1, a signature performance basketball shoe Brand will debut for the 2008-09 basketball season. The EB1 will retail for $65 and is available exclusively at JCPenney as of Nov. 1, 2008. The shoe will roll out in additional colorways through spring 2009.

"I am excited to begin a partnership with one of the premier performance basketball shoe companies in the world,” said Elton Brand. “Converse represents both tradition, originality, and is in position to change the game in performance basketball footwear. The EB1 is a durable, but fast and versatile performance shoe, which is perfect for my style of play. With the EB1 sold nationwide at JCPenney, kids can have a cool, affordable shoe that looks fly when they wear it to school, and then they can get on the court and put in some work.”

The EB1 is designed for players who specialize in using their quickness, agility and versatility on the court. The shoe features a sleek midfoot strap for lockdown, with a ventilated upper to enhance breathability and a molded sockliner to provide comfort. The shoe is constructed of durable leathers to sustain the wear from Brand’s gritty style of play. Brand’s “EB” logo, which features his initials and the letter “D” that pays homage to his mother Daisy and his Dunbar Heights neighborhood near Peekskill, NY, is embossed on the midfoot strap.

“At JCPenney, we’re committed to carrying the most desired brands in retail,” said Cindy O’ Connor, senior vice president of women’s accessories and family footwear for JCPenney. “As the exclusive retailer of the EB1, this launch builds on our successful partnership with Converse – one of the world’s leading footwear companies – and brings the athletic expertise of Elton Brand to the Middle American consumer, allowing us to strengthen our customer loyalty through a truly authentic footwear brand that can be found only at JCPenney.”

The EB1 will be supported through a national radio campaign, in-store signage, JCPenney circular advertising, and on both converse.com and jcp.com.

Converse’s NBA athlete roster also includes Dwyane Wade (Miami HEAT), Kirk Hinrich (Chicago Bulls), Kyle Korver (Utah Jazz), Udonis Haslem (Miami HEAT), Maurice Evans (Atlanta Hawks), Acie Law IV (Atlanta Hawks) and Alando Tucker (Phoenix Suns).

About Elton Brand
One of the premier post players in the game since being selected as the first overall pick of the 1999 NBA Draft, Elton Brand enjoyed a tremendous season in 2005-06 and averaged a career high in points (24.7), field-goal percentage (52.7) and blocks (2.5) to go along with 10 rebounds per game. His dominating presence in the paint helped lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 47-35 record and their first playoff appearance in nine years. A two-time NBA All-Star selection and the 2000 NBA Rookie of the Year, Brand sat out most of the 2007-08 season with an injury, and was acquired by the Philadelphia 76ers before the start of the 2008-09 NBA season. He was named the consensus college player of the year following his sophomore season at Duke University, where he led the Blue Devils to the NCAA Championship Game. The recipient of the 2006 NBA Sportsmanship Award, Brand also founded the Elton Brand Foundation in 2000 to help communities where he has lived and played basketball through educational and recreational opportunities.

About Converse
Converse Inc., based in N. Andover, Massachusetts, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nike, Inc. Established in 1908, the Converse brand has built a reputation as “America’s Original Sports Company”™ and has been associated with a rich heritage of legendary shoes such as the Chuck Taylor® All Star® shoe, the Jack Purcell® shoe and the One Star® shoe. Today, Converse offers a diverse portfolio including premium lifestyle men's and women's footwear and apparel. Converse product is sold globally by retailers in over 160 countries and through 35 company-owned retail locations in the U.S. For more information, visit Converse on the web at www.converse.com.

About JCPenney
JCPenney is one of America's leading retailers, operating 1,074 department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as one of the largest apparel and home furnishing sites on the Internet, jcp.com, and the nation's largest general merchandise catalog business. Through these integrated channels, JCPenney offers a wide array of national, private and exclusive brands which reflect the Company's commitment to providing customers with style and quality at a smart price. Traded as "JCP" on the New York Stock Exchange, the Company posted revenue of $19.9 billion in 2007 and is executing its strategic plan to be the growth leader in the retail industry. Key to this strategy is JCPenney's "Every Day Matters" brand positioning, intended to generate deeper, more emotionally driven relationships with customers by fully engaging the Company's 155,000 Associates to offer encouragement, provide ideas and inspire customers every time they shop with JCPenney. For more information visit www.jcpenney.net

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