SPALDING Zi/O Excel Positioned as Ultimate Indoor/Outdoor Basketball
-- Unmatched Feel and Performance for the Serious Player --

ORLANDO, FL (January 18, 2005)
Paul Sullivan has joined Spalding, a division of Russell Corporation, as Director of Diamond Sports. Sullivan will oversee the overall business management of the Dudley softball business and the company's baseball business and licensing agreements. He will manage product development, advertising and promotion.

"Paul has been associated in one capacity or another in sports for more than a decade and has great knowledge of our industry and our company's great history," stated Dan Touhey, vice president of marketing. "His addition to our team is timely as we look to expand our presence in diamond sports -- baseball and softball."

Prior to joining Spalding, Sullivan was a marketing director with The Top Flite Golf Company where he was responsible for the Ben Hogan and Top Flite Golf club business. Since 1995 Sullivan has held a variety of positions in sales planning, operations, customer service, credit, sales and marketing.

ABOUT SPALDING

Springfield, MA-based Spalding is a leading producer and marketer of basketballs, footballs, volleyballs and soccer balls under the Spalding brand name and softballs under the Dudley brand. Spalding is the official basketball supplier of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the official volleyball of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and American Volleyball Association (AVA), the official soccer ball of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and the official football of the American Football League (AFL) and Pop Warner. Spalding was acquired by Russell Corporation in May 2003. Spalding and Russell's other business units, American Athletic (AAI) and Huffy Sports brands, collectively combined, are now part of the largest basketball equipment provider in the country. AAI is the leading seller of gymnastics equipment in the country as well as institutional basketball backboards, and Huffy Sports, is a leader in basketball backboard systems.