Wheaties(R) Welcomes WNBA Champion Detroit Shock to the Breakfast Table

Wheaties® is thrilled to welcome its newest member to the "Breakfast of Champions®,” the Detroit Shock. A new, special-edition package featuring the 2006 WNBA Champions continues Wheaties’ tradition of honoring championship moments. Detroit won its second WNBA title in franchise history, defeating the Sacramento Monarchs, three games to two, in the first WNBA Finals in league history to reach a fifth and deciding game. While Flint, MI, native, Deanna Nolan, who averaged 17 points and 4.2 rebounds, including a game-high 24 points in Game 5, was named Most Valuable Player of the Finals, the Championship was truly a team accomplishment. Under the direction of Head Coach Bill Laimbeer, the Shock got major contributions throughout the season from role players and stars alike, particularly Cheryl Ford and Katie Smith. Ford, in only her fourth WNBA campaign, became the league’s all-time, single-season rebounding leader by grabbing 363 boards while Smith, an eighth-year veteran and the all-time leading scorer in women’s professional basketball, became the first WNBA player to notch 500 career three-pointers. This package marks the first solo appearance for the Detroit Shock and the third time Wheaties boxes have featured WNBA players in the league’s 10-year history. Released in 2004, the first WNBA-themed Wheaties box recognized stars from three championship teams, including the Shock, Houston Comets and Los Angeles Sparks. Last fall, the 2005 WNBA Champion Monarchs were so honored. Now, 12-ounce boxes bearing a team photo of the Shock on the front will be available in stores nationally beginning this month. Wheaties package image now available at www.businesswire.com. About the WNBA In 2006, the WNBA concluded its historic tenth season with an action-packed WNBA Finals. The 2006 WNBA Finals presented by Vonage capped a playoff run in which the WNBA saw significant increases in attendance and viewership. Average attendance for the 2006 Finals was up +28% compared to a year ago while average attendance for the playoffs overall increased by +16%. The historic Game 5 featured a sellout crowd of 19,671 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI, the second largest crowd in WNBA Finals history. Detroit’s Game 4 win at Sacramento was the second-most watched WNBA game in ESPN2 history and average viewership for the 2006 Finals was up +11% over that of 2005. As the preeminent women's sports league, the WNBA, which features 14 teams, is the destination for the best women's basketball players in the world. For more information, visit wnba.com. About Wheaties, "The Breakfast of Champions” Launched in 1924, Wheaties is the No. 1 whole-grain wheat flaked breakfast cereal in the country. The brand began its association with sports in the mid-1930s with a sign on the left field wall at Nicollet Park near downtown Minneapolis. General Mills’ broadcast deal with the minor league Minneapolis Millers on WCCO Radio included the large signboard that Wheaties would use to introduce its new ad slogan: "Wheaties—The Breakfast of Champions.” From that rather humble beginning, Wheaties has built a heritage that includes many of the greatest athletes of all time. Learn more at www.wheaties.com. THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS® AND WHEATIES® ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF GENERAL MILLS.