Marvel Entertainment, LLC, and the National Basketball Association have announced a collaboration to launch an exclusive collection of co-branded merchandise featuring NBA team logos alongside Super Heroes in the Marvel Universe.

The line will include co-branded apparel and accessories, with artwork featuring a variety of Marvel Super Heroes, including Spider-Man, Iron Man and Captain America, dressed in NBA team colors and logos.

The collection will launch with headwear and apparel, including T-shirts and sweatshirts by C-Life, as well as headwear by New Era.

Modell’s and Madison Square Garden will launch the New York collection and the STAPLES Center will be the first destination for L.A. Lakers co-branded merchandise to debut at the NBA All-Star game on February 20. The products will then be made available in other national and regional sporting goods retailers, specialty stores, additional NBA arena stores, and mid-tier channels sports apparel departments.

F.A.B./Starpoint has announced a licensing agreement with the NBA, for products including backpacks, messenger bags, and lunch kits for back-to-school 2011. The colors, images, and graphics of the NBA will  be highlighted in the line, targeted at boys ages 5-18. The products will be distributed to mass, mid-tier, specialty, office supply, and sporting goods channels.

“The addition of the NBA to our roster of boy’s best-in-class licensing properties helps expand the age demographic for products that F.A.B./Starpoint offers to the market,” says Steve Russo, president and CEO of the company. “The franchise has an incredible appeal to young boys that is both positive and inspiring.”

ESPN Consumer Products and the National Basketball Association today announced the introduction of a new line of co-branded merchandise based on the network’s popular NBA on ESPN RV advertising campaign. The NBA on ESPN collection brings the personality and energy of the RV campaign to life with a full assortment of products, from apparel and headwear to sporting goods and novelty items. The products will be available at ESPN Zone locations, the NBA Store in New York City, NBAStore.com, NBA City, NBA team retailers, Academy, Champs Sports, Dick’s Sporting Goods, FootballFanatics.com, Macy’s and Modell’s to coincide with the start of the NBA Playoffs.

For the record, the official position of The Licensing Book is that anyone but the Lakers or Magic is fine with us from here on out. We’d love to see the Celtics win again, but that’s not happening. I asked Associate Editor Jennifer Sinclair for her thoughts, and she politely demurred.

—Bryan Joiner

The adidas Group and the National Basketball Association (NBA) have announced an extension of their global partnership, giving adidas exclusive rights to all apparel in Europe beginning with the 2010-11 NBA season. Products will be available beginning Oct. 1 to coincide with the tip-off of NBA Europe Live, presented by EA Sports.

Fans in Europe will be able to select from a comprehensive on-court collection, including the authentic, swingman, and replica versions of NBA player jerseys; as well as authentic team warm-up collections, shooting shirts, official practice wear, and adidas TECHFIT base layer compression and padded compression undergarments. The entire apparel collection is designed to coordinate with adidas’ comprehensive range of NBA performance and lifestyle footwear.

“The NBA is the pinnacle of basketball—and every kid around the world who dreams of playing pro ball aspires to reach that level,” says Lawrence Norman, vice president of adidas basketball. “Now, with the exclusive global rights, we are able to help the NBA spread the love of basketball around the world by bringing a piece of that dream to everyone who loves the NBA.”

“The expansion of adidas’ apparel rights in Europe gives us a true global partnership that aligns perfectly with our collective strategy to continue growing the game of basketball,” says Sal LaRocca, executive vice president of NBA global merchandising. “As the NBA continues to grow in popularity throughout Europe, authentic adidas NBA apparel will be available to more fans than ever before.”

adidas is in the fourth year of its 11-year global merchandising partnership as the official uniform and apparel provider for the NBA, WNBA, and NBA D-League. The NBA and adidas will support the partnership through a mix of global marketing and media initiatives, including NBA Europe Live presented by EA Sports in 2010, as well as grassroots events and branded media programs throughout the 215 countries in which the league distributes content.