Contact: Lorie Woods 937-223-2203 ext139
lorie.woods@shumsky.com
811 East Fourth Street
Dayton, OH 45402

November 16, 2004
For Immediate Release

SHUMSKY SUPPLIES NCAA WITH “DON’T BET ON IT” WRISTBANDS

      INDIANAPOLIS, IN- - - Shumsky Promotional Agency’s Indianapolis sales office, recently supplied the NCAA national office with more than 150,000 “NCAA Don’t Bet On It” wristbands. The NCAA Sports Wagering Task Force and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) partnered to distribute the bands in conjunction with a National Sports Wagering Awareness Day developed by the Task Force for Saturday, October 30. The wristbands were worn by head football coaches and their athletic support staffs.

      The National Sports Wagering Awareness Day served to place additional attention on the dangers of sports wagering and the negative effects it can have on the well being of student-athletes and the integrity of college sports. “We are proud to be a part of spreading awareness about such an important issue”, said Shumsky President Michael Emoff. “These promotional wristbands have already made tremendous impacts in showing support and growing awareness for many charities, medical research groups, and now in the gambling awareness arena.“

      At the release of the 2003 National Study on Collegiate Sports Wagering and Associated Health Risks in May of this year, NCAA President Myles Brand announced the formation of the national task force to further analyze results from the survey and recommend strategies to counteract sports wagering among student-athletes. University of Notre Dame President Rev. Edward A. Malloy is the chair of the task force, and Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association, is vice-chair.

     The National Sports Wagering Awareness Day is a quick-response initiative taken by the task force in order to raise awareness of sports wagering among student-athletes. The task force will announce further recommendations at the annual NCAA Convention in January, with a dual focus of ensuring the well being of student-athletes and the integrity of intercollegiate athletics. Other recommendations will likely include expanding education efforts, new NCAA legislative proposals and suggestions for legislation at the state and federal levels.

     Shumsky is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio and provides marketing solutions using promotional products. For more information about Shumsky, visit shumsky.com.