02/20/2004 - NORTHBROOK, Ill.

Allstate Insurance Company, USA Basketball (USAB) and a prominent USAB alumnus today announced an agreement for Allstate to become the Official Home and Auto Insurance sponsor for USA Basketball and its Athens-bound 2004 U.S. men's and women's basketball teams.

"Basketball is perhaps one of the sports that best represents the 'Good Hands,'" said Allstate senior marketing manager, Karen Uhler. "It showcases the importance of team play, hard work, communication and sportsmanship - - qualities our customers value in employees and agents. We're proud to announce this exciting new addition to Allstate's U.S. sponsorship family, and wish both teams success in Athens."

"We're pleased to welcome Allstate to the USA Basketball family," said USA Basketball executive director Jim Tooley. "Like USA Basketball and its players and coaches, Allstate represents an uncompromising commitment to excellence. We greatly value Allstate's support and sponsorship as we prepare to bring home the gold."

To help connect its USA Basketball sponsorship with agents, customers and local communities, Allstate and USA Basketball will host a series of ten youth basketball clinics at select Boys & Girls Clubs in various markets. The first clinic will be held in New York City on February 22. Beyond providing youth Club members an opportunity to participate in the clinics, The Allstate Foundation will make a $5,000 donation to a Boys & Girls Club in each clinic city for a total contribution of $50,000.

Well-known current and former USA Basketball players and coaches will participate in the clinics, and offer Boys & Girls Club members and other select youth not only basketball instruction, but personal insights about the importance of hard work, dedication, sportsmanship and overall life success through sports.

The nine additional Allstate youth clinics will be held in Atlanta (February 24), Chicago (March 1), Washington D.C. (March 3), Philadelphia (March 12), Denver (March 24), San Francisco (March 26), Indianapolis (April 6), Dallas (April 13), and Orlando (April 14).

Allstate's new USA Basketball sponsorship marks the first of two strategic extensions of the company's overall 2004 U.S. Olympic Team sponsorship, with the second extension expected to be revealed in the coming weeks. "We have a very substantial piece of our U.S. Olympic sponsorship puzzle to announce next month in Chicago," teased Uhler.

Known in marketing circles for its creative sponsorship leveraging, Allstate reunited the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Team and funded a series of youth hockey clinics hosted by the team's captain, Mike Eruzione, and goalie, Jim Craig, as part of its 2002 U.S. Olympic Team sponsorship in Salt Lake City. That team was then selected to light the Olympic Cauldron during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, and is the subject of a newly-released motion picture.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan, Allstate provides insurance products to more than 16 million households and has approximately 12,900 exclusive agencies and financial specialists in the U.S. and Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services through Allstate agents, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®. EncompassSM and Deerbrook® Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. Allstate Financial Group includes the businesses that provide life insurance, annuity, retirement, banking and investment products through distribution channels that include Allstate agents, independent agents, worksite, financial institutions and broker-dealers.

Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men's and women's basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in international basketball competitions like the Olympics and World Championships, as well as for some national competitions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Josh Gold (949) 223-2350 / (310) 920-3666
Emily Daly (847) 402-5600