In their first joint movie tie-in, the NBA and NBC will partner with Paramount Pictures for a $10 million promotion for Tomb Raider, the upcoming Angelina Jolie vehicle about vidgame heroine Lara Croft. The promo aims to boost traffic to nba.com and NBA playoff ratings.

A spot running on NBC during NBA game programming from May 5-June 1 will direct viewers to watch for an upcoming Tomb Raider ad and then log on to nba.com to answer questions about the trailer and enter a sweepstakes, per sources. Prizes include a trip to Hollywood's Paramount Studios, a trip to an NBA preseason game in Europe and NBA on NBC merchandise.

A second spot, breaking in late May will promote the NBA Finals broadcasts on NBC and Tomb Raider, which premieres June 15. The ad will air during NBC prime-time and late-night programming and on other league-controlled media, such as NBA.com TV and NBA Inside Stuff.

The alliance, expected to be unveiled this week, includes a significant Paramount ad buy during NBA on NBC programming. Paramount also will provide local marketing support, tagging Tomb Raider radio ads with the promotion and offering chances to attend screenings and win NBA merchandise.

Claritin will expand its Major League Baseball-related promotions. The Schering-Plough allergy medication maker will be the title sponsor of in-stadium All-Star balloting for the first time, with 30 million ballots to be distributed, and will again be title sponsor of All-Star Workout Day on July 9.

Besides generating consumer awareness, Claritin will use the sponsorship to reach out to physicians. Claritin will invite a doctor to be part of the ceremonies surrounding the casting of the first in-stadium ballot in Seattle on April 22 and, in every other U.S. market, a physician will cast the first in-stadium public ballot. Claritin also will host local docs at a game in each market.

MLB's Authentic Collection, the retail line of apparel that is identical to what players wear on-field, will launch a $1.5 million campaign via FCB, San Francisco, this month. The closely targeted effort, aimed at men aged 18-24, is focused on Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Phoenix, with spot TV buys on Comedy Central, MTV, ESPN, NBC and others. Print targets college papers.