m. ET. With the
experience gained through the successful integration of Bell and Riddell, we
look forward to executing the same type of careful and thoughtful integration
with the new company .

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College GameDay
show, ESPNU will present its first live event telecasts -- a men's
semifinal game from the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament (Nashville,
Tenn.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060207/NYTU180LOGO -a
http://www.newscom. "Easton-Bell Sports will remain committed to providing the
sporting goods market with innovative products, maintaining and growing each
of its tremendous brands, and strengthening all of its current channels of
distribution and customer relationships," said Mr.
Riddell has been the National Football League's official supplier of helmets
for 15 years and is the market leader in the institutional football category.

About Easton Sports
Easton Sports is a developer, manufacturer, marketer and distributor of
baseball, softball, hockey and cycling equipment for both sports professionals
and enthusiasts. York Street provides mezzanine and equity capital to private
equity sponsors for acquisitions, buyouts, growth capital and
recapitalizations of middle-market companies.

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Eyewear properly fitted and worn does not hinder
performance in any way , and can prevent most sports eye injuries. Polycarbonate
can withstand impact from a ball or other projectile traveling at 90 miles per
hour.) at 11 p.

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American Academy of Ophthalmology Urges Athletes to Wear Protective Eyewear

Because many children's sports leagues, schools and teams don 't require
children to wear eye protection, parents must insist that children wear eye
protection every time they play and set a good example by wearing eye
protection themselves when playing sports .riddellbellholdings. Teachers' has participated
as a long-term investor in many management buyouts in Canada, the United
States and Europe, including: Samsonite Corp.

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Maybe it's because we look at college as some of the
best years of our lives. We are also pleased to be partnering in this expanded
investment with Teachers' Private Capital, which has extensive experience in
consumer brands and sports businesses.
Riddell Sports designs, markets and reconditions helmets, uniforms and
protective equipment used in football and other team sports. Easton Inc.

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It is the ophthalmologist, or Eye M.D .com senior writer Andy Katz, in addition to Hall and ESPNU
basketball analyst Doug Gottlieb.htm

com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060207/NYTU180LOGO-d
http://www.com.otpp.

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com, ESPN The
Magazine , ESPN Mobile (wireless), ESPN Radio, ESPN Interactive,
ESPN360 (broadband), merchandising and more
Original Dream Job winner Mike Hall will serve as ESPNU's
signature anchor, hosting the majority of the network's studio
programming from Charlotte, N.C.m.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060207/NYTU180LOGO-b
http://www. Teachers' Private Capital has a long and successful
track record of building consumer product businesses both internally and
through acquisitions.com.

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or other eye care professional . In addition, parents can get
involved to help pass local ordinances requiring children to wear protective
eyewear when engaging in sports. Fenway was
supported in the acquisition by Teachers' Private Capital, the private
investment arm of Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, which will acquire a
significant minority interest in the combined entity.newscom., the leading supplier of electronics carrying cases and
accessories and in June 2005 acquired Panther II Transportation, Inc. D.

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Monica, MD, PhD, MHA , an ophthalmologist and
Member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. "Eye injuries are one of the
leading causes of visual impairment in children.----ESPNU, a new
college sports network, will launch on "03-04-05" -- Friday, with a two-hour live special edition ESPNU College GameDay from
Stillwater , Okla.
The debut ESPNU show will feature College GameDay commentators
host Chris Fowler, analysts Jay Bilas, Digger Phelps, Dick Vitale and
ESPN. After the 7-9 p.

Burke Magnus, ESPNU VP and GM, on some network programming
highlights:
"Football and men's and women's basketball have been ESPN
hallmarks for 25 years, so clearly we plan to emphasize those
mass-appeal sports on ESPNU .newscom. Easton Sports focuses on its ability to innovate and create
products of unmatched quality and performance including the #1 bat in the
College World Series(R), Women's College World Series (R), Little League World
Series(R), and Slow-Pitch Softball, as well as the #1 stick in the National
Hockey League.

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Eye health care is provided by the three "O's" -- opticians,
optometrists and ophthalmologists. To
find an Eye M.aao. We will supplement them by showcasing
regular-season and championship events from many emerging college
sports. There are plenty of remarkable stories about athletes in
sports that don't get a lot of exposure. Easton.
"Easton Sports is the ideal Fenway investment opportunity. Latham + Watkins served as legal counsel
to Easton Sports. The firm
provides human, financial, and strategic resources to help portfolio companies
achieve their potential. Giro ,
acquired by Bell in 1996 and founded in 1985 in California, is a market leader
in both high end cycling and snow helmets., Easton Sports employs over
1,200 people worldwide and maintains facilities in Utah, California, Mexico,
Canada and Asia. Teachers' also has an appreciation and understanding for
the dynamics and value drivers of a sports business, based upon a more than
12-year stewardship in Maple Leaf Sports + Entertainment, the owners of the
Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors.

The York Street team includes six professionals
with over 80 years of investment, consulting and capital markets experience.

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Business Editors/Sports Editors/Entertainment Editors

BRISTOL , Conn. We are looking forward to continuing that
leadership on a much larger scale with strategic partners Fenway and Teachers'
Private Capital, who share our commitment to R+D and product innovation as the
guiding principles for the future of the business.
Wachovia Securities ("Wachovia" ) served as financial advisor to Easton. (Serta), Doane Pet Care, Shoppers
Drug Mart Corporation and Alliance Laundry Holdings.

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Children can incur injuries
ranging from abrasions of the cornea and bruises of the lids to internal eye
injuries such as retinal detachments and internal bleeding.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world's largest association
of eye physicians and surgeons -- Eye M. There is a different connection that all of us have to our
college teams. The new company will be
named Easton-Bell Sports, Inc. In partnership with management, Fenway invests in market-leading and
profitable businesses with significant unrealized upside potential.com. Other
subsidiary companies of Jas.

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Athletes today can choose from
various types of lightweight and sturdy protective eyewear that look and fit
better than in the past. The debut show, staged from the campus
site of the next day's Texas at Oklahoma State men's college
basketball game, will be simulcast on ESPN2. The 24-hour television network is the key component of
the multi-media ESPNU initiative that will deliver college sports
content across ESPN's family of services, such as ESPN . followed by a first round men's basketball game from
the West Coast Conference Tournament (Santa Clara, Calif.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060207/NYTU180LOGO-c
http://www."
York Street Capital Partners, a US-based mezzanine debt fund principally
sponsored by Teachers' Private Capital , will increase its existing equity
investment in RBH as part of the transaction.
"Through York Street's previous investment in Riddell Bell, we have
witnessed first-hand Fenway's ability to create value by successfully merging
two leading companies within this industry," said Jim Leech , Senior Vice
President, Teachers' Private Capital."
The transaction continues a period of significant investment momentum for
Fenway. In November 2005, the firm completed its acquisition of Targus Group
International, Inc. ("Goldman Sachs") served as financial advisor to Riddell
Bell Holdings.4
billion. Riddell was
founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1929 as a performance footwear company.
Bell Sports was founded in 1954 in Bell, California, making helmets for
auto racing and today is the market leader in cycling helmets and accessories
while maintaining its heritage in motorcycle and auto racing helmets.

About Teachers' Private Capital
Teachers' Private Capital is the private investment arm of Ontario
Teachers' Pension Plan and is one of North America 's largest active pools of
capital, with a portfolio valued at C$12 billion. For
further information about York Street, visit the firm's website at
http://www.

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More than one-third of the
victims are children. Unfortunately,
some of these young athletes end up with permanent vision loss and blindness . at 7 p.
Action will include a variety of top Division I football and men's
and women's basketball mixed with baseball, softball, volleyball,
lacrosse, hockey, wrestling and more.newscom.com/cgi-bin /prnh/20060207/NYTU180LOGO-e )
Easton-Bell Sports will be a preeminent branded sports company dedicated
to enhancing athletic performance and protection with innovative equipment.

About Fenway Partners
Fenway Partners, dedicated to building long-term value through direct
investment in leading middle market companies, is a private equity firm based
in New York and Los Angeles with funds under management of more than $1.

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Contact lenses offer no protection, and street wear glasses are
inadequate to protect against any type of eye injury., who
can treat it all -- eye diseases and injuries, and perform eye surgery. in your area, visit the Academy's Web site at http://www.

ESPNU to Launch Friday March 4; College Sports Network To Feature Collection of Quality Event + Studio Programming

Easton-Bell
Sports will offer professional athletes and sports enthusiasts four premium,
'must have' brands -- Easton, Giro, Bell and Riddell -- that not only stand
for the sports in which they participate, but also offer true performance and
protection advantages," said Mark Genender , Managing Director of Fenway
Partners.
For further information, please visit the company online at
http://www., Yellow Pages Group, Maple Leaf
Sports + Entertainment, National Bedding Co.

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s -- with more than 27,000 members
worldwide.
(Logo: http://www.
The combined company will generate more than $600 million in annual revenue,
hold leading market positions in baseball, softball , football, hockey,
cycling, auto racing, and snow and motorcycle sports, and will invest further
in its industry-leading state-of-the-art R+D efforts to drive product
innovation. "This tradition includes the introduction of the
first successful aluminum baseball bat and numerous revolutionary technologies
in baseball, softball, hockey and cycling equipment through use of lightweight
composite materials and alloys. "We are very proud of
our track record of working closely and successfully with owners and
entrepreneurial management teams who have a deep, personal identification with
their companies as well as a desire to remain involved going forward.
Riddell's sales team services schools with "best in class" equipment and
reconditioning services.eastonsports.com.

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Combination Creates Performance Sports Equipment Powerhouse

Teachers' Private Capital to Acquire Minority Interest

NEW YORK, Fenway Partners, a leading middle market
private equity firm , announced today that it has agreed to combine its
portfolio company, Riddell Bell Holdings (RBH ), with Easton Sports in a
transaction valued at approximately $400 million. Easton will remain a
significant equity holder and Chairman of the Board of the combined company. Riddell Bell Holdings was formed in
2004 through the merger of Bell Sports Corporation and Riddell Sports Group. Easton , including Easton Technical Products
and Hoyt, both based in Utah, are not impacted by this combination .

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D.D., headquarters of ESPN Regional
Television (ERT) which will handle the primary production
responsibilities for ESPNU.espn.newscom.
"Easton Sports has an 84-year tradition of leadership in technological
innovation," said Jim Easton, a second generation owner and the current
Chairman of Easton Sports. Headquartered in Van Nuys, Calif. For
further information, please visit the company online at
http://www.

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"

Editor's Note: For an ESPNU logo and photos, go to
http://media . Genender.
"Easton's baseball, softball, and hockey businesses complement RBH's Riddell
football business, while Easton's bike business fits nicely with the cycling,
snow and motorcycle businesses of Bell and Giro."
Easton-Bell Sports will continue the predecessor companies' growth
strategies . We've developed
a relationship with its management over years of following the company," said
Timothy Mayhew, Managing Director of Fenway Partners.

About Riddell Bell
Riddell Bell is the leading designer, developer and marketer of head
protection equipment and related accessories for numerous athletic and
recreational activities. Riddell Bell is the largest designer and marketer of
helmets and accessories used in bicycling, action sports, snow sports and
various motor sports and is the brand of choice for some of the most visible
athletes in numerous sports including seven -time Tour de France winner Lance
Armstrong, skateboarding sensation Tony Hawk, renowned Motocross Champion
Jeremy McGrath and Indy Racing League Champion Dan Wheldon.

About York Street Capital Partners
York Street Capital Partners (York Street) is an investment firm formed in
June 2002.
The majority of the team has been investing together for over 12 years.

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These include:
basketball , baseball, hockey, football, lacrosse, fencing, paintball, water
polo, racquetball, soccer and downhill skiing.D. Event programming will be
the cornerstone of ESPNU, highlighted by approximately 300 live events
(regular-season and championships) in the network's first year. We can add texture to the
network by bringing those stories to fans nationally.com/MediaZone/ESPNU_photos. We are looking forward to
working with Easton-Bell Sports' management team to capitalize on the abundant
brand building and top-line growth opportunities we see in the combined
company's future.

This category lists sites that kids ages 3-18 can use to learn about various sports.

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SAN FRANCISCO, In recognition of April 's
designation as Sports Eye Safety Month, the American Academy of Ophthalmology
urges all athletes -- and especially young athletes -- to wear appropriate
sport-specific protective eyewear as recommended and properly fitted by an
Eye M.org.m.) at 9 p.m. Easton Sports is a privately held business founded in 1922. D.com.

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"
While many sports put participants at high risk for eye injury, eye
protection is available for many of these same activities.

"

Mike Hall, ESPNU signature anchor on what makes college sports
special:
"There is something different about the atmosphere in college
games." Mr. For further information, please visit
their website at http://www.yorkstreetcapital .

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"Athletes need to choose protective eyewear because eye injuries can be
devastating," said Monica L. ESPNU will also offer
comprehensive studio programming, replays of ABC Sports, ESPN, ESPN2
and ESPN Regional Television games, plus specials and more.
ESPNU has secured distribution agreements with DIRECTV, Adelphia,
several smaller affiliates and is close to distribution agreements
with others. In addition, Easton-Bell
Sports will have an expanded technology and R+D platform that is second to
none in the sporting goods industry and a proven, experienced management team
with a passionate, winning corporate culture., one of
the largest providers of expedited ground transportation services in North
America. Each deal was sourced through a relationship with the owner/founder
of the business. Wachovia and Goldman Sachs are serving as joint lead arrangers
and joint bookrunners in connection with $415 million in senior credit
facilities to be used to refinance certain existing indebtedness of the
combined companies and partially fund the acquisition, working capital and
other general corporate requirements. Ropes + Gray LLP served as legal counsel
to Riddell Bell Holdings and Fenway. For further information about Fenway, visit the
firm's web site at http://www.

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Protective eyewear lenses should be made of polycarbonate. RBH was formed in September
2004 when Fenway portfolio company, Riddell Holdings, acquired Bell Sports
Corporation.
"This transaction provides demonstrable opportunities to broaden the
product offerings in every segment in which we participate, expand the
combined distribution network and realize operating synergies.
"The combination creates several unique strategic synergies within both
companies' team and individual sports divisions," added Mr.

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Approximately 40,000 sports-related
eye injuries occur in the United States each year.

Fenway Partners to Combine Riddell Bell Holdings with Easton Sports

Easton Sports ' sales in 2005 were approximately $240 million. "We're delighted to be expanding our
commitment to the Fenway and Riddell Bell partnership and expect to see
impressive results from the combination .
Goldman Sachs + Co.fenwaypartners. Easton Sports is a subsidiary of Jas. Teachers' works with
like -minded partners to provide long-term, flexible capital and support to
high quality management teams in order to realize operational excellence
within their companies. Teachers' Private Capital, the
private equity arm of the C$88 billion Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, is York
Street's capital sponsor.

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