With Lockout Over, Doors Open For NBA Partners Gatorade, Anheuser-Busch, AutoTrader.com
By BigLeadSports
Specifically, the league today said that PepsiCo’s Gatorade, Anheuser-Busch and AutoTrader.com each have renewed and enhanced their deals with the NBA.
Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed. The NBA expects to unveil addition partnership renewals prior to the start of the shortened season on Dec. 25.
Under a new multi-year extension, Gatorade said it would continue as the official sports drink partner of the NBA and become will also become the league’s official sports performance nutrition partner.
As part of the agreement, Gatorade – the NBA’s longest-standing marketing partner dating back to 1984 – will expand the partnership internationally into Brazil, Italy and the United Kingdom, adding to its NBA deals in Canada, Mexico, the Philippines and Puerto Rico.
Gatorade said it would continue to use NBA players as endorsers and “incorporate them into its advertising campaigns and promotional initiatives,” including Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade.
“This renewed partnership allows us to fuel the world’s best basketball players beyond hydration,” Sarah Robb O’Hagan, Gatorade president and CMO, global sports nutrition, said in a statement. “Not only will we continue to provide Gatorade products to the pros, but we will spread the message about the importance of sports nutrition to up and coming athletes.
Anheuser-Busch said a multi-year expansion of their marketing partnership would continue Budweiser’s position as the official beer partner of the NBA, an alliance that began in 1998.
As part of its partnership, Budweiser will retain a significant presence during NBA national game telecasts on ABC, ESPN and TNT, along with NBA Digital properties NBA TV and NBA.com. Budweiser will also release NBA-themed TV advertising, packaging and POP materials at retail.
In addition to the overall NBA partnership, Budweiser maintains partnerships with 26 NBA teams.
As part of their renewed deal, AutoTrader.com will continue to serve as the presenting partner of the NBA Tip-Off show on TNT and will be the presenting partner of all pregame shows on NBA TV. AutoTrader.com’s partnership with the NBA dates back to 2006.
This season, NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com on TNT features host Ernie Johnson along with analysts Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and newcomer Shaquille O’Neal.
“Partnering with the NBA has proven to be an effective way to increase awareness of AutoTrader.com, and we’re thrilled to be tipping off another great season,” Clark Wood, AutoTrader.com’s CMO, said in a statement. “This multi-layer partnership enables us to keep the AutoTrader.com name front and center throughout the season and reach millions of passionate fans.”
In addition to pregame and on-court exposure, AutoTrader.com will be a prominent commercial advertiser during NBA broadcasts on TNT and NBA TV throughout the season. NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com will air throughout the NBA season on TNT on Thursday; the NBA TV studio show will air multiple nights a week throughout the season.
PHOTOS: Kevin Durant: Richard C. Lewis/Icon SMI; Dwight Howard: Darrell Walker/Icon SMI