Inside the NBA

The National Basketball Association (NBA) will give fans more than a glimpse of what it’s like to play basketball in the big leagues, with the release this month of NBA: Wired for Sound. The video goes behind the scenes to give viewers an unvarnished look at what professional basketball players experience on and off the court.

Viewers will see and hear how players prepare for a big game, how they handle the disappointment of a defeat and the thrill of a victory, as well as the traveling that accompanies life in the NBA.

The NBA is supporting the video through local and national advertising spots that will appear during prominent sports programming. The video will retail for US$14.98 and is set for release on April 28.

Barney rocks

In a lead-up to the Purple One’s big-screen debut on April 3, Lyrick Studios has released a collection of songs inspired by Barney’s Great Adventure: The Movie. The album’s 21 songs are a mix of traditional numbers, Barney favorites and 10 original compositions written and performed by artists from the worlds of pop and musical theater. Some of the tracks include Bernadette Peters singing ‘Barney-The Song,’ Roberta Flack lending her vocal stylings to ‘Count the Stars,’ Jane Siberry giving her rendition of ‘All the Pretty Ponies,’ and Jennifer Warnes performing ‘You Can.’ The album is available in both CD (US$14.98) and audio cassette (US$9.98).

Rugrats couture

This spring, Nickelodeon is releasing the latest Rugrats apparel for kids age three to 13. The new line includes short sets, beachwear, sleepwear, T-shirts, baseball hats and other accessories that incorporate elements of the popular cartoon. All products retail for under US$21 and will be sold at select stores throughout the U.S.

Paddington on video

On April 28, Sony Wonder will begin distributing the animated show The Adventures of Paddington Bear on video in Canada. Each cassette will contain three 30-minute episodes of the Cinar/Protécréa co-production. The first two tapes, entitled Paddington Takes to the Road and Paddington in the Ring, retail for CDN$12.98 (US$9.16). Time Life Kids and PolyGram will distribute the videos in the U.S. and the U.K., respectively.