While the NBA is a sporting league, it is also a business, serving as a form of entertainment viewed by millions of people worldwide. A venture of such scale most definitely requires substantial amounts of money for the league to run successfully.
The league is set to make history with its latest sponsorship deal, venturing into paths that haven’t been traversed before. Starting with the All-Star Game, NBA referees will adorn the patches of the league’s latest global airline partner, Emirates.
NBA Referees to wear sponsor patches for the first time
NBA referees are viewed on television screens and broadcasts now more than ever. With the implementation of reviews, referees have been a focal point of telecasts, sometimes seen more often than players on the bench.
With that thought in mind, referees are going to adorn sponsorships for the first time in league history during the All-Star Game held in Indianapolis. As part of its global expansion and growth, the NBA entered into a multi-year agreement with Emirates, one of the two flag carriers of the United Arab Emirates. Besides the NBA-sponsored patches, Emirates will be promoted throughout the league.
The In-Season Tournament, which celebrated its first edition this season, will be renamed the Emirates NBA Cup. This strategic move comes amid the league’s massive spike in viewership over the past few years, attracting multiple investors keen on the money that can be gained through promotions and advertisement revenue.
While NBA players started sporting NBA-sponsored patches and brand logos in 2017-18, this is the first time that the league’s game officials will receive any sort of branding on their uniforms. The move for branding on the referees’ uniforms comes after statistics showed that the officials appeared on television screens for long periods, paving the interest for advertisement opportunities.
Implementation plan for patches across NBA, G League, and WNBA
With the NBA making historic moves to promote the league, NBA referees are set to wear the Emirates Airlines-sponsored patches that will be debuted in this year’s All-Star Game on the 18th of February, at Indianapolis. Following the star-studded game, referees across the league will begin to wear the patches when the league resumes a few days after the game.
It is not just the NBA that will be part of this sponsorship. The patches will also be extended to the NBA’s affiliate leagues, the G-League and the WNBA. While the G-League officials will begin wearing the patches from next season, the WNBA game officials will start adorning the patches from the beginning of their 2025 season.
Emirates has dominated the sponsorships of other sports such football, becoming the main sponsor for teams like Real Madrid and now is set to make its mark on the basketball world.
