Gatorade Adds Basketball Phenom Candace Parker To All-Star Athlete Lineup

Gatorade Becomes First Brand to Sign Reigning Women's College Basketball
Player of the Year

CHICAGO, April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The Gatorade Company, a division of
PepsiCo, announced today a new relationship with Candace Parker of the WNBA's
Los Angeles Sparks, her first endorsement as a professional athlete. The deal
links the most exciting young female athlete in years to a dynamic brand known
for fueling and inspiring athletes -- male and female -- to perform at their
best. Parker joins an unparalleled roster of female athletes that includes
soccer legend Mia Hamm, tennis star Maria Sharapova, U.S. Women's National
Soccer Team player and Olympian Abby Wambach, and AVP player and Olympic gold
medalist Kerri Walsh.
"It's only fitting for me to announce Gatorade as my first partner as I
begin my professional basketball career because they have been part of my life
since the day I first picked up a basketball," said Parker. "It still means a
lot to me that in high school I was honored as a two-time Gatorade High School
Basketball Player of the Year and as a college athlete at the University of
Tennessee, Gatorade was always on the sidelines."
Parker, the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft, is a two-time
Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year (2003 and 2004) and the
2004 Gatorade High School Female Athlete of the Year, which honors the best
male and female athlete across multiple high school sports. The University of
Tennessee standout also led the Volunteers to back-to-back national
championships the past two seasons.
"At Gatorade, we've known Candace for many years and not only has she
become one of the best female basketball players in the world, but she remains
a tremendous person who regularly demonstrates exemplary class and character
on and off the court," said Scott Paddock, Gatorade director of sports
marketing. "Our decision to include Candace among the select group of world
class Gatorade athletes was an easy one and we are extremely excited, as is
much of the country, to witness Candace's professional debut."
In addition to Hamm, Sharapova, Wambach and Walsh, Parker joins superstar
athletes Michael Jordan (basketball legend), Peyton Manning (Indianapolis
Colts), Eli Manning (New York Giants), Derek Jeter (New York Yankees), Kevin
Garnett (Boston Celtics), Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat), Kevin Durant (Seattle
SuperSonics), Matt Kenseth (NASCAR driver), Jimmie Johnson (NASCAR driver),
Sydney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins), Kristine Lilly (U.S. Women's National
Soccer Team), Misty May (AVP player and Olympic gold medalist) and Landon
Donovan (LA Galaxy) among others in the Gatorade athlete family.
The multi-year deal was completed by Scott Paddock, Gatorade Director of
Sports Marketing and Eric Goodwin, President of Goodwin Sports Management.
About Gatorade
Gatorade(R) Thirst Quencher, the nation's leading sports drink, is backed
by more than 40 years of research. Gatorade is scientifically formulated and
athletically proven to quench thirst, replace fluids and electrolytes and
provide carbohydrate energy to enhance athletic performance. The Gatorade
brand is a division of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP). The company's hydration portfolio
includes leadership products such as Gatorade Tiger, Gatorade Thirst Quencher,
G2, Propel, SoBe Life Water, Aquafina and Tropicana. No other beverage
company helps quench thirst on more occasions and in more great-tasting ways.
For more information, please visit www.gatorade.com and
www.pepsico.com
SOURCE The Gatorade Company

Jill Kinney of The Gatorade Company, +1-312-821-3401,
Jill.kinney@gatorade.com