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The National Basketball Association (NBA) has struck a new multi-year global partnership with The Coca-Cola Company, with Sprite to become the league’s official global soft drink.
Key details:
- Sprite takes over rights from PepsiCo’s Starry
- Drinks brand to activate at NBA tentpole events and international events like NBA Global Games
- League and Sprite to collaborate on immersive fan experiences, custom content series on NBA platforms and exclusive promotions
Context:
The new partnership reunites the NBA with Sprite, which was previously a league sponsor between 1994 and 2015. Its collaboration then included the title rights to the All-Star Game’s slam dunk contest, which it held for 13 years.
While not being a league-wide sponsor, Sprite has individual partnerships with 17 NBA franchises, prolonging its involvement with basketball. It also counts Minnesota Timberwolves ace Anthony Edwards as a brand ambassador.
After the deal with Sprite ended in 2015, PepsiCo reached a deal with the basketball league, with Mountain Dew and Starry (previously known as Sierra Mist) respectively serving as the NBA’s official soft drink over an 11-year period.
Though PepsiCo has now relinquished the soft drink sponsorship category, the company will remain an NBA sponsor through its other brands Ruffles and Gatorade.
Comment:
“Sprite has always been a brand that celebrates individuality and self-expression, values that resonate deeply with basketball fans worldwide,” said Kerry Tatlock, executive vice president, global marketing partnerships and media, NBA.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Sprite back to the NBA family and look forward to collaborating together on new ways for fans to experience the game.”
“Reuniting with the NBA is about co-creating what’s next – experimenting with new fan experiences, exploring emerging formats, and meeting the next generation where they are,” added Manolo Arroyo, executive vice president and global chief marketing officer at The Coca-Cola Company.
“Basketball is not just a game; it’s a global cultural engine and Sprite, together with the NBA, will help to fuel the moments and memories that drive it.”
Sponsorship remains the most powerful commercial force in sport, yet as investments soar, the ROI gap widens. This April, SportsPro London will deliver frameworks for proving impact beyond logo placement. Learn more here.