CANTON OH - Lynn Mickles, Executive Director of the Global Professional Basketball League has announced that Chris Munson will assume the role of Director of Basketball Operations for the Premier Developmental Basketball League. A native of Minneapolis, Chris brings to the GPBL a thorough knowledge of sports as well as well as a bit of media savvy. Chris Munson has previously worked as the Sports Director for ESPN Radio Vermont and currently is the Director of Communications for the United States Basketball Association. Chris is also a freelance writer having written for Our Sports Central, US Basketball, The Vermont Times, The Vermont Guardian, Varsity Magazine and d3football.com. This past season Chris performed play by play duties for University of North Florida's coverage of men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball for the Atlantic Sun Conference. Chris also performed play by play and color duties for UNF's coverage of women's basketball. Over the years, Chris has broadcast over 400 games on television and radio, including play by play duties for Fox College Sports for the inaugural College Insider.com title game in Peoria, IL. "Being able to bring a talented person like Chris Munson to the GPBL is a tremendous coup for us" said Mickles. "His versatility and extended network in the sports industry will only make our league stronger from the top on down." "I look forward to working with him" added Don Seroka, Director of Media and Public Relations for the GPBL. "I feel as though with our combined experience, we will complement each other which will only benefit the league." The Global Professional Basketball League will start play in January, 2010. For more information visit our web site at www.thegpbl.com or contact: Don Seroka Director of Media and Public Relations Global Professional Basketball League don@thegpbl.com or Andrew Haines CEO Haines Consulting Group Andrew@hainesconsulting.com

CANTON OH - Andrew Haines, Chief Consultant for the Global Professional Basketball League, has announced a new partnership with Ego Sports Inc. to design and manufacture uniforms for the new premier basketball league.

"Right now Ego Sports Inc. manufactures and distributes custom team sports uniforms and apparel on the mid Atlantic coast and in the South" said Haines. "Our partnership will open up new markets across the country for Ego Sports to provide unique, high quality and stylish sporting goods."

Ego Ferguson, President and Director of Marketing has taken what was once a home operated business to a company that now boasts locations in Frederick Maryland, Miami Florida and Washington DC.

Ego Sports Inc. boasts a product line that consists of custom uniforms for twelve sports: football, men's basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, men's track, wrestling, softball, volleyball, lacrosse, women's basketball, women's track, as well as coaching gear, cheerleader uniforms and warm-ups.

Lynn Mickles, Executive Director of the GPBL said; "I cannot begin to express how pleased we are to develop this partnership. Additionally, Ego Sports Inc. will also sponsor the GPBL Player of the Week Award during our inaugural season."

The Global Professional Basketball League will begin play in January, 2010. For more information on Ego Sports visit their website at http://www.egosportsinc.com/or visit our web site at www.thegpbl.com.
Don Seroka
Director of Media and Public Relations
Global Professional Basketball League
don@thegpbl.com
or
Andrew Haines
CEO
Haines Consulting Group
Andrew@hainesconsulting.com

CANTON OH - The Global Professional Basketball league has set May 30th and May 31st to hold the leagues initial owners meetings in Canto Ohio. The emphasis at these meetings will be training for team owners and their staff as well as distribution of league materials to all the teams.

Lynn Mickles, Executive Director of the GPBL said; "Our first meeting is to get the owners together with league staff in order to establish protocol and procedure for meetings to come." Additionally, "We want to provide training and guidance to the team owners, some of whom will own a team for the first time."

"This will also be the first opportunity for team owners to meet with league sponsors" added Andrew Haines, Chief Consultant for the GPBL. "It is crucial that the teams develop a working relationship with our sponsors as soon as possible."

For more information about the Global Professional Basketball League, visit our web page at www.thegpbl.com or check us out on Facebook.

Don Seroka
Director of Media and Public Relations
Global Professional Basketball League
don@thegpbl.com
or
Andrew Haines
CEO
Haines Consulting Group
Andrew@hainesconsulting.com

CANTON OH - Andrew Haines, Chief Consultant for the Global Professional basketball League has announced today that the league will use all forms of mass media to reach out and stay in touch with fans.

"Technology is an asset that must be recognized and used if you want to compete in any sports market" said Haines. "There is only is much expendable income that the fans have and you have to reach out to them if you want them to spend it on your product."

In an effort to open up lines of communication with fans, the GPBL has started a Facebook page and group to present a forum for fans to become friends with the league front office staff. Visit us on Facebook by clicking here.

"This is a great way to meet the fan base and answer questions about the league and teams" said Don Seroka, Director of Media and Public Relations. "We want our fans to feel as though they are an integral part of the league by making ourselves accessible to them 24/7."

"We are still in the early stages of development but we have already received numerous hits on our site" add Lynn Mickles, Executive Director of the League. "It's pretty exciting when you think about it."

The GPBL expects to announce the signing of several new franchises in the coming weeks and are in the process of formulating a 32 game schedule which will feature an early January season tip-off.

For more information about the Global Professional Basketball League, visit our web site at www.thegpbl.com

Don Seroka
Director of Media and Public Relations
Global Professional Basketball League
don@thegpbl.com
or
Andrew Haines
CEO
Haines Consulting Group
Andrew@hainesconsulting.com

CANTON OH - The Global Professional basketball League has announced today that the league will continue to use mass media to reach out and stay in touch with fans.

In an effort to open up lines of communication with fans, the GPBL has gone online with the social networking system "Twitter". Visit us at www.twitter.com/gpbl

"Twitter is the newest and most popular social networking tool" said Don Seroka, Director of Media and Public Relations. "It's a continuous way to let our fans know what's going on with the league."

The GPBL expects to announce the signing of several newteams in the coming weeks and are in the process of formulating a 32 game schedule which will feature an early January season tip-off.

For more information about the Global Professional Basketball League, visit our web site at www.thegpbl.com

Don Seroka
Director of Media and Public Relations
Global Professional Basketball League
don@thegpbl.com
or
Andrew Haines
CEO
Haines Consulting Group
Andrew@hainesconsulting.com

CANTON OH - Andrew Haines, Chief Consultant for the Global Professional Basketball League has announced today a new partnership with First Job in Sports, a company that specializes in assisting qualified job seekers in finding work in the sports industry.

According to Haines; "First Job in Sports offers career advice from professionals in the sports industry and searches hundreds of available internships and entry level positions to match job seekers with the right position."

Members of the First Job in Sports web site are able to post resumes and search for jobs by location, category and job type. There is also a assistance in resume writing and interviewing techniques and a University Program page which outlines different careers in sports and the education programs associated with them.

Lynn Mickles, Executive Director of the GPBL said; "When starting a new team or league, there is always a need to fill numerous intern and entry level positions and having a service like First Job in Sports helps relieve one of the burdens of a startup franchise."

Those interested in developing a career in sports should go online to www.firstjobinsports.com and register today. Don't be a spectator, be a part of the action.

The Global Professional Basketball League will begin play in December of 2009. For additional information on the GPBL go to www.thegpbl.com or contact;
Don Seroka
Director of PR and Media Relations
Global Professional Basketball League
don@thegpbl.com
or
Andrew Haines
CEO
Haines Consulting Group
Andrew@hainesconsulting.com

CANTON OH - Lynn Mickles, Executive Director of the Global Professional Basketball League announced today that James "Twiggy" Sanders will assume the title of Commissioner for the 2009-10 season.

Basketball fans may remember Sanders from his playing days with the Harlem Globetrotters. One of the best known and greatest Showmen of all time, "Twiggy" was the 27th person in the Globetrotters' history to receive the "Legends" honor, joining the ranks of other Showmen like Reece "Goose" Tatum, Hubert "Geese" Ausbie, Meadowlark Lemmon and "Sweet" Lou Dunbar, who helped make the Globetrotters what they are today.

A native of Raleigh NC, Sanders was a standout at Ligon High School, where he was all-conference, all-state and All-American in 1970, and was also named the Wake County Player of the Year. He continued his education and basketball career at Johnson C. Smith University, earning a spot on the CIAA All-Tournament team his junior and senior year. Nicknamed "Twiggy" for his lean build, Sanders played with the Globetrotters from 1974 until 1991. During his tenure with the Ambassadors of Goodwill, Sanders traveled more than 75,000 miles to over 100 countries on six continents.

Following his Globetrotter career, Sanders continued to be involved in the game he loved, but this time as a coach. He has coached at Bonner Academy and Shaw University in Raleigh, Morris Brown College in Atlanta GA, the Raleigh Cougars of the United States Basketball League, and with the ABA's Maryland Nighthawks, a team that he guided to the semi-finals in the 2004-05 season.

"We feel that "Twiggy" will be a tremendous asset to our league" noted Mickles. "He will not only serve as the Commissioner, but as a mentor to coaches and players with aspirations of moving up to higher leagues."

For more information on the Global Professional Basketball League visit www.thegpbl.com or Contact;

Don Seroka
Director of PR and Media Relations
Global Professional Basketball League
don@thegpbl.com
or
Andrew Haines
CEO
Haines Consulting Group
Andrew@hainesconsulting.com

Canton OH - The Global Professional Basketball League has announced the hiring of Don Seroka to serve as the leagues Media and Public Relations Director. Don will start immediately as the league prepares to start play in December of 2009.

A native of the Mon valley area of Southwestern Pennsylvania, just South of Pittsburgh, Don grew up in Monessen and was a four sport letterman in high school in the late 70's and went on to play 2 years of football in college before joining the Navy where he played semi-professional football and softball as well as beach volleyball while stationed in Florida for ten years. Don has a degree in Political Science / Pre Law from California University of PA and will finish his History Degree in the fall.

A freelance sports journalist for fifteen years, Don has written for several newspapers in the Pittsburgh Area including the Tribune Review and The Valley Independent where he has covered sports at all levels.

In 2007 Don was hired as the Media Relations Director for the Pittsburgh RiverRats of American Indoor Football Association, a post he still holds with the team today in spite of the team's relocation to Erie PA.

It was during his first year with the RiverRats that Don developed a working relationship with Andrew Haines who owned the team.

"I have known Andrew for a few years now and his drive, business savvy and passion for sports is contagious" Don said from his home in Belle Vernon. "We worked well together in the past and I look forward to helping Andrew and the GPBL get off on the right foot in 2009."

http://www.thegpbl.com

For more information on the Global Professional Basketball League, Contact;

Don Seroka
Director of PR and Media Relations
Global Professional Basketball League
don@thegpbl.com
or
Andrew Haines
CEO
Haines Consulting Group
Andrew@hainesconsulting.com

CANTON OH - The Global Professional Basketball League announced today that Leah Haines will join the league staff as the Chief Compliance Officer.

Leah will work closely with all teams to ensure that required documentation and contracts are completed and filed in a timely manner.

"It's a luxury to be able to bring in a person like Leah Haines" said Don Seroka, Director of Media and Public Relations. "Along with being detail oriented and success driven, she brings a wealth of experience."

Leah Haines has owned and operated several businesses over the last eleven years and held a similar position with the American Indoor Football League. Presently Leah is President of the Haines Consulting Group which specializes in general consulting for professional sports as well as local business and political groups.

Leah Haines hails from Baltimore but moved to Canton Ohio in 2005 with her husband Andrew and children Natira and A.J..

Visit http://www.thgpbl.com

CANTON OH - The Global Professional Basketball League has contracted the Canton Ohio based Haines Consulting Group to work with League officials in marketing and franchise development for the leagues inaugural season.

Executive Director of the GPBL, Lynn Mickles, is very familiar with Haines Consulting Group CEO Andrew Haines as the two worked previously in developing and running the American Indoor Football League, a league that is flourishing today as the AIFA.

"We have had success working together before" said Haines. "And we are confident that we can renew that success once again". Although Haines and Mickles are moving in a new direction with basketball instead of football, neither is a stranger to the professional basketball game. "I have ten years of professional basketball under my belt with the Yakima Sun Kings" noted Mickles. "Andrew has worked previously with the ABA (American Basketball Association)." Yakima won five league championships during Mickles ten years with the Sun Kings where he served as the Assistant General Manager and Director of Media and Public Relations.

Since 2001 Haines Consulting Group has worked with over 30 professional sports teams and several professional sports leagues in marketing, management, franchise development and advertising.

Visit http://www.thegpbl.com

For additional Information please contact;

Don Seroka
Director of PR and Media Relations
Global Professional Basketball League
don@thegpbl.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or
Andrew Haines
CEO
Haines Consulting Group
Andrew@hainesconsulting.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it