• March 31, 2010

Kia Motors America is initiating a program with the NBA that lets fans for the first time give an assist in the decision around who wins NBA Most Valuable Player, a Kia-sponsored award.

A dedicated Web page on NBA.com lets fans submit their votes for MVP, ranking their top five choices. The combined fan vote will count as one vote, with the remaining 124 votes coming from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Fans can cast their MVP votes from April 1 through 15 on NBA.com. The companies say the 2009-10 NBA Most Valuable Player of the Year Award presented by Kia Motors will be announced following the conclusion of the 2009-10 NBA regular season.

Also, Kia is doing an MVP Sweepstakes on NBA.com/awards dangling a 2011 Kia Sorento CUV, the Official Vehicle of the NBA, and a trip to The Finals for the winner and guest get to watch the game with b-ball greats Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The program will be promoted at arenas, in a new Kia TV spot, online at NBA.com, Facebook, and Twitter; and during NBA local and national game broadcasts. Kia will also donate a brand-new Kia Sorento to the charity of the player's choice on behalf of the four 2009-10 season-end award winners as part of the "The NBA Performance Awards Presented by Kia Motors."

"The NBA Performance Awards Presented by Kia Motors," in its third season, is part of Kia's multiyear deal with the NBA that includes sponsorship of the Most Improved Player, Sixth Man Award, and Defensive Player of the Year. Kia also sponsors the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month.--Karl Greenberg