Nike is set to takeover as the new lead sponsor for all NBA jerseys and memorabilia but a competitor that lost out to Nike in the sweepstakes to be the lead sponsor of NBA products has recently struck a deal with the league in another way.
Starting in 2018, Under Armour will become the lead sponsor for the NBA draft combine. The deal is set to include the player uniforms they wear during the event and even fan memorabilia.
Following from Nina Mandell of USA Today Sports.
Long before the future stars of the NBA are wearing their team jerseys, they’ll be wearing a lot of Under Armour – thanks to a new partnership set to be announced by the league and apparel company later today.
Under the new deal, the Baltimore-based company will be the presenting partner of the league’s youth basketball program, Jr. NBA, and will also be the title partner of the NBA Draft Combine beginning in 2018 — a deal that the league describes as one that represents a “significantly expanded partnership” between the two companies.
“It’s a huge deal and we couldn’t be more excited about it as we continue to build our brand and our business around the sport of basketball,” said Adam Peake, Executive Vice President, Global Marketing, Under Armour.
As the title partner of the NBA Draft Combine — an invite-only showcase of the top expected draft picks — beginning in 2018, Under Armour will develop a retail line of apparel for fans.
The two are also partnering on the NBA Fit mobile app, which will provide training tips among other features.
The multiyear global partnership between the NBA and Under Armour also makes UA the presenting partner of the Jr. NBA, the league’s youth basketball program. Under Armour will also team with the league to launch an innovative NBA FIT mobile application powered by the brand’s Connected Fitness platform, the ‘NBA Fit mobile app’.
Although Nike will be the dominant force behind the NBA once again in the near future, it’s awesome to see someone else get a slice of the NBA pie. While it might just be for draft combine, it could be a good way to get the players in some Under Armour gear so they can check out what the company has to offer.
Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings and Emmanuel Mudiay are the lead stars who rock Under Armour gear. Between Curry winning NBA MVP this past season, the signing of rookie sensation Mudiay and this new deal with the NBA, Under Armour could be the next big contender for some big NBA names.
