The National Basketball Association is the biggest and most popular basketball league in the world. Not only is the NBA home to the best talent in North America but it also attracts the biggest names from across the planet. Such is the popularity of the NBA; sponsors are queuing up to lend their name to the league and that has led to some major sponsorship deals over the years.
2K Sports
For those who enjoy video games, 2K Sports is a well-known brand. Founded in 2005, 2K Sports are responsible for producing the annual NBA video game, known as NBA 2K. The NBA and 2K Sports joined forces in 2017 to create the NBA 2K League and the deal was extended for a further 7 years in 2019. The current deal is worth over $1 billion, which is a huge sum of money and makes 2K Sports one of the biggest brand partners in the NBA.
Nike
The NBA teams need uniforms and in 2015, Nike stepped in to replace Adidas as the official NBA uniform supplier. Rather than each team negotiate their own apparel supplier, the NBA has one overriding deal that covers every team. So, regardless of the team you support, if you decide to buy the official jersey for the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, or Orlando Magic, it will feature the Nike swoosh. As you would expect, a deal to supply the apparel for every team in the NBA is lucrative and is believed to be worth $1 billion.
DraftKings
In November 2019, the NBA agreed a deal to make DraftKings an official sports betting operator. The deal means DraftKings can use official NBA data and logos on their betting platform. This was a major move away from the days when sports and betting were kept apart in the United States. Times have changed, mostly thanks to the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to allow states to regulate their own sports gambling. DraftKings have also become an official partner of the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and Indiana Pacers. In addition to daily fantasy sports and a sportsbook, DraftKings boasts an online casino which is one of the leading casinos with the best payouts online.
American Express
American Express have a long association with the NBA, stretching back to 1995. The financial services provider is the official card of the NBA and an extension to their deal was signed in 2021. Not only does America Express have a partnership with the NBA, but it also has brand partnership deals with specific teams, including Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers.
The four brands above are some of the biggest names to have a partnership with the NBA. However, such is the draw of the NBA, there are many other brands who have deals with the basketball league, including AT&T, CarMax. Hotels.com, Kia Motors, Louis Vuitton, Microsoft, Moët Hennessy, and New Balance.
