There were only a handful of teams last season who did not have a sponsor, including the San Antonio Spurs. That will change next season, as the Spurs have announced they will partner with Frost Bank to be their first-ever jersey sponsor. Frost is one of the 50 largest banks in the United States.
“We’re proud to be a sponsor and a partner with such a well-regarded, successful organization as the Spurs,” said Frost Chairman and CEO Phil Green via the Spurs’ official press release. “We wanted to partner with them because Frost and the Spurs share the same values of integrity, caring and excellence.”
“It was very important for us to find a jersey patch partner that best aligned with our company culture and values, and Frost Bank is the perfect match as demonstrated in the exemplary professional and community service that they have provided to Texans for now over 150 years,” said Rick Pych, Spurs Sports & Entertainment President and CEO. “In our 45 years of partnership with Frost, we have witnessed firsthand the commitment to building long-term caring relationships with their customers as well as to the communities in which they serve.”
The relationship forged here is not a new one. The two sides have partnered since 1973. Unsurprisingly, Frost is also headquartered in San Antonio and is the longest-tenured partner that the Spurs have ever had. In terms of sponsors having importance, Frost was integral for the Spurs moving to San Antonio. Tom Frost, chairman of the company who passed away August 10th at the age of 90, assisted in providing funding to move the franchise to its current location.
The trend toward jersey sponsors began last season with nearly all of the teams adopting one. The past several months a few more teams have added sponsors. At their large rebranding reveal, the Memphis Grizzlies announced a partnership with FedEx. Two more teams added sponsors in March as well, the Dallas Mavericks (5miles) and Los Angeles Clippers (Bumble).
