Bank of America and National Football League Announce Historic 'Official Bank of the NFL' Agreement

CHARLOTTE, N.C. and NEW YORK, Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America today announced a sponsorship agreement with the National Football League(R) (NFL) making Bank of America the first-ever "Official Bank of the NFL" in the United States. The new agreement significantly expands on a partnership between Bank of America and the NFL that included NFL and team-identified credit cards and the first-ever sports rewards program.

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To kick-off its new sponsorship, Bank of America today unveiled nationwide NFL Checking, a new portfolio of team-specific personal banking products, including Check Cards and checks designed specifically for the pro football fan, that complement the bank's current credit card offerings. Team-specific Check Cards and checks for the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots and Washington Redskins are currently available, enabling fans to demonstrate their passion for the NFL through everyday banking transactions while earning unique incentives. The full suite of NFL personal banking products, including checks, Check Cards and credit cards bearing the NFL shield logo, will be available in November.

The introduction of NFL Checking is part of a significant expansion of Bank of America's My Expression(TM) affinity banking platform that includes sport, cause-related, professional, and special interest checking products. Bank of America has been an industry leader in using affinity marketing to provide customers with financial solutions that meet their evolving needs.

"We are very proud of our historic partnership with the National Football League as it pairs two of the country's most visible brands," said Anne Finucane, chief marketing officer, Bank of America. "The NFL's popularity and loyal following will enable us to create greater opportunities to serve the largest fan base in all of American sports."

Under the three-year agreement, Bank of America will have the exclusive rights in the banking services category to use the NFL shield logo and other NFL-licensed marks, such as the Super Bowl, in marketing and advertising promotions through the 2009 season. These services include consumer checking and savings, credit, debit and ATM card issuance, wire and currency transfer services, currency exchange services, and community development banking. Bank of America also will have the rights to advertise during NFL games and on NFL- controlled media assets, such as NFL Network and NFL.com.

"With its trusted reputation and national reach, Bank of America is an ideal partner for the NFL, and a stellar choice for the League's first retail bank sponsor," said Lisa Baird, the NFL's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Consumer Products. "We're pleased Bank of America will play such a visible role in our sport, and we know this agreement will serve the millions of NFL fans very well for a long time to come."

In addition to the benefits of free online checking and billpay and special pricing on CDs, IRAs and money market accounts, NFL Checking rewards customers through their everyday transactions. NFL Checking customers are eligible for a unique benefit associated with Bank of America's popular Keep the Change(TM) savings program that automatically rounds debit card purchases up to the nearest whole Dollar and transfers the difference from the customer's checking account into their Bank of America savings account. NFL Checking customers receive 100 percent matching contributions for the first three months. Thereafter, Bank of America will reward NFL Checking customers by matching 10 percent of their Keep the Change savings for the life of the relationship, which represents double the 5 percent match for standard Keep the Change accounts. The maximum annual total match is $250 per year.

"Our new suite of NFL Checking products is the latest addition to our expanding portfolio of My Expression(TM) affinity banking products, which are proving to be a popular way for consumers to show their support for teams and a wide variety of organizations," said Susan Faulkner, Deposits and Debit executive for Bank of America. "With today's launch, Bank of America is providing fans a unique opportunity to kick-off the new NFL season with a full range of banking products that proudly express their passion for the excitement of pro football."

The newly launched NFL check card and checks join Bank of America's credit cards already available for all 32 NFL teams to form a complete banking solution for fans of pro football. Customers can sign-up for the new NFL and team Check Cards, checks and credit cards at over 5,700 Bank of America banking centers, and learn more about Bank of America's portfolio of My Expression(TM) products by visiting bankofamerica.com/myexpression.

In addition to NFL Checking, Bank of America is introducing new My Expression(TM) affinity checking products for 20 organizations. Among them: Boston Red Sox; New York Yankees; St. Louis Cardinals; Arizona State University Alumni Association; Georgia State University Alumni Association; New Jersey State Nurses Association; Texas A&M; University of Washington Alumni Association; and the Wilderness Society. Earlier this year, Bank of America introduced checking products appealing to fans of NASCAR. These programs demonstrate the power that comes from combining Bank of America's leading position in affinity marketing and product development with its unparalleled distribution network, giving customers even greater opportunities to make their interests and their support of favorite causes and organizations part of their everyday banking experience.

"Our agreement with the NFL reflects continuity with our philosophy of partnering with category leaders," added Finucane. "Moreover, we see this not only as a business partnership, but an opportunity to show our customers that we are fans of the game as well."

Bank of America's new agreement with the NFL deepens its role as a leading financial partner, advisor and sponsor across all major sports. As a world- class financial institution with a dedicated Sports Finance and Advisory team, Bank of America helps owners, leagues and franchises address their full range of needs -- from building stadiums to redesigning their capital structure. As a sports marketing leader, Bank of America supports an expansive nationwide sponsorship portfolio, serving as the Official Bank of NASCAR(R), Official Sponsor of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team(R) and the Official Bank of Major League Baseball(R). Bank of America also is a longtime sponsor of professional golf, with the Bank of America Championship holding the honor as the oldest 54-hole tournament on the PGA Tour's Champions Tour schedule.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 57 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 5,700 retail banking offices, more than 17,000 ATMs and award-winning online banking with more than 22 million active users. Bank of America is the No. 1 overall Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in the United States and the No. 1 SBA lender to minority-owned small businesses. The company serves clients in 175 countries and has relationships with 99 percent of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 80 percent of the Fortune Global 500. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Member FDIC.

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