Rawlings Signs Steven Jackson to Endorse Football Helmet Line

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Rawlings®, a subsidiary of global consumer products company Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH), today announced the signing of professional football running back Steven Jackson to an endorsement contract for Rawlings NRG Quantum football helmets.  Jackson will serve as the primary helmet endorser, joining professional running backs Ronnie Brown and Frank Gore on Rawlings' Football Advisory Staff.    

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110802/CG46151)

"I really like the fit and feel of the helmet, and I feel protected and secure when I wear it," Jackson said. "I'm looking forward to being the face of Rawlings and their Quantum football helmet and increasing their presence in the NFL."

"We're excited to add Steven to our Football Advisory Staff as we continue our commitment to develop helmets that meet the protective needs of today's athletes at all levels," said Mike Thompson, Senior Vice President of Marketing for St. Louis-based Rawlings. "Watching Steven locally, we appreciate his hard-hitting, physical playing style and are excited to see him lead the evolution of the Rawlings Football brand.  We recognize the factors of style, comfort and technology that Steven looks for in a helmet and the NRG Quantum meets his high-level demands."  

Jackson will wear the Rawlings NRG Quantum helmet on-field this season and appear in the company's print, digital and video marketing materials and promotions, including dynamic content on rawlingsfootball.com and facebook.com/rawlingsfootball.  

The Rawlings NRG Quantum helmet for adult and youth football players employs three proven technologies that when assembled create revolutionary impact absorption focused on reducing impact and better protecting players.  

• Rawlings AIA™ – Active Impact Absorption™ has dual air bags with a scientifically-designed spacer material allowing for instant and long-lasting protection, unlike standard conventional foams.  
• Rawlings C3™ – Custom Comfort Cushion™ allows players to customize their helmets' fit.  The proprietary rate-dependent passive impact absorption cushioning provides maximum protection without sacrificing comfort.  
• The Rawlings Heat Exchange™ has strategically placed vents and padding systems that create optimized air flow and temperature control.  

About Rawlings:

Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. is a leading manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods in the United States.  Since the company's inception in 1887, Rawlings' mission has always centered on developing and producing innovative, high-performance equipment and protective apparel for the professional player.  With an assortment of baseball, basketball, football and softball game-related product lines, Rawlings is present everywhere team sports are played.   Leagues and conferences of all skill levels integrate Rawlings' unparalleled product portfolio into their sports: as the Official Baseball and Official Helmet to Major League Baseball®, the official baseball for the NCAA®, the official football for the NAIA®, the official basketball for the NAIA®, NJCAA® and AAU®, the approved baseball, basketball, football and softball of the National High School Federation®.  For more information, please visit rawlingsfootball.com, Rawlings Football's Facebook page or by phone at (314) 819-2800.

About Jarden Corporation:

Jarden Corporation is a leading provider of global consumer products with a portfolio of over 100 trusted, quality brands sold in more than 100 countries. Jarden operates in three primary business segments through a number of well recognized brands, including: Outdoor Solutions: Abu Garcia®, Aero®, Berkley®, Campingaz® and Coleman®, ExOfficio®, Fenwick®, Gulp!®, K2®, Marker®, Marmot®, Mitchell®, Penn®, Rawlings®, Shakespeare®, Stearns®, Stren®, Trilene®, Volkl® and Zoot®; Consumer Solutions: Bionaire®, Crock-Pot®, FoodSaver®, Health o meter®, Holmes®, Mr. Coffee®, Oster®, Patton®, Rival®, Seal-a-Meal®, Sunbeam®, VillaWare® and White Mountain®; and Branded Consumables: Ball®, Bee®, Bicycle®, Billy Boy®, Crawford®, Diamond®, Dicon®, Fiona®, First Alert®, First Essentials®, Forster®, Hoyle®, Kerr®, Lehigh®, Leslie-Locke®, Lillo®, Loew Cornell®, Mapa®, NUK®, Pine Mountain®, Quickie®, Spontex® and Tigex®. Headquartered in Rye, N.Y., Jarden ranks #379 on the Fortune 500 and has over 25,000 employees worldwide. For in-depth information about Jarden, please visit www.jarden.com.

SOURCE Rawlings