Former NBA Player John Amaechi Signs Landmark Endorsement Deal With HeadBlade

- Amaechi Becomes First Male Athlete to Secure a Corporate Endorsement Deal

After Coming Out of the Closet -

    LOS ANGELES, March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- In a landmark endorsement deal,
 The HeadBlade(R), Inc., creators of the ultimate head-shaving razor and the
 pioneers of head care, has signed former NBA player John Amaechi to a
 multi-year contract, marking the first time a mainstream company has
 sponsored an openly gay male athlete.
     "I think it's fantastic that HeadBlade has approached me to endorse the
 brand," said Amaechi. "I jumped on the HeadBlade bandwagon the first time I
 found out about the product almost six years ago, and have been using it
 ever since. Whether you're black, white, straight or gay, a shaved head is
 a shaved head, and it requires specialized maintenance."
     "John Amaechi is the newest face of the brand because he embodies many
 of the qualities representative of a HeadBlader," said HeadBlade CEO Todd
 Greene. "He is a man comfortable in his own skin and he's not afraid to go
 against the grain. The HeadBlade audience is diverse; we endorse MMA
 fighters, bodybuilders, Harley Davison drag racers, and other professional
 athletes. John not only represents a few of our target demographics; he's
 also a worldwide diplomat for the brand and a role model to many people.
 John has been a HeadBlader for a long time, and it's an honor to have him
 officially on the HeadBlade team."
     Amaechi, whose recent acknowledgement he spent his entire NBA career as
 a closeted gay man in his controversial book, Man in the Middle, currently
 on The New York Times Best Seller List, initially referred to his
 fascination with the HeadBlade in a 2002 article in ESPN The Magazine. In
 the article, Amaechi explained, "It's made for your head, not your face,
 which is good, because with all the wrinkles up there, you need more
 control."
     The multi-year contract, signed for an undisclosed sum of money, is the
 first major corporate endorsement deal of Amaechi's career.
     About John Amaechi
     The New York Times Best-Selling author John Amaechi is the first
 National Basketball Association player to acknowledge he is gay. His book,
 Man in the Middle, launched in February 2007 from ESPN Books, has garnered
 worldwide attention, creating a dialogue previously non-existent. Amaechi,
 who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Utah Jazz, Houston
 Rockets, and New York Knicks, remains the only British athlete to have
 played in the league. Amaechi was honored as one of the NBA's most improved
 players in 2000 and was the only British member inducted into the United
 States Basketball Hall of Fame. Since his retirement from basketball, John
 has pursued a PhD in psychology and heads an executive coaching and
 training company, while speaking internationally on diversity, success
 planning and whole-life balance. Most importantly, John uses his experience
 with children, youth issues and interventions to further develop the unique
 experience that is manifested at his youth centers in England.
     About HeadBlade, Inc.
     HeadBlade, Inc. is the pioneer in head care. The Company has taken the
 head shaving niche and created a lifestyle brand for millions of people who
 shave their heads. The original HeadBlade was listed among the "Top Ten
 Designs in 2000" by Time Magazine and is now in the permanent collection at
 New York's Museum of Modern Art. The all new HeadBlade Sport comes standard
 with moving wheels and triple blade technology. Since the revolutionary
 HeadBlade was developed eight years ago, a complete head care line-up has
 launched, including HeadSlick, the world's first shaving cream specifically
 developed and formulated for the head; HeadLube, a moisturizer available in
 both "Gloss" and "Matte" finishes; and HeadShed, a pre-shave exfoliant that
 makes for a smoother, cleaner shave. Well-known HeadBladers include
 comedian and Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel, American Idol star Chris
 Daughtry, MLB catcher Todd Greene, and professional bodybuilder Toney
 Freeman. HeadBlade products can be purchased online (www.HeadBlade.com) or
 at Rite-Aid, CVS, Kmart, Walgreens, Meijer, and select Target and WalMart
 stores.
 
 

SOURCE The HeadBlade, Inc.