Nike extends contract with NBA and WNBA for another 12 years

NEW YORK – Nike’s new CEO, Elliott Hill, traveled across the country to New York on Monday evening to help the company announce an expanded long-term global agreement with the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League.

During a 90-minute presentation at its New York headquarters, the company introduced some of the sport’s big names, including WNBA stars A’ja Wilson, Sue Bird and Caitlin Clark, who joined virtually, and Sabrina Ionescu, who presented the New York Liberty led the way to the WNBA Championship on Sunday night, along with NBA superstars Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum and Giannis Antetokounmpo also appearing on camera. The athletes talked about their love for the sport and offered suggestions on how it could continue to grow. That included serving as a role model for young girls and boys and harnessing the newfound energy surrounding sports, particularly the WNBA, which just completed a season in which it set attendance and viewership records.

Part of maintaining the momentum will fall to Nike, which has extended its rights for 12 additional seasons to design and manufacture NBA, WNBA and G League jerseys, as well as on-court and fan apparel.

“Nike has always been more than just a league sponsor – we are a strategic partner with an unwavering commitment to growing the game alongside the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League,” Hill said. “Our collective power, our global reach and our genuine love for the game will continue to create new pathways and opportunities for players and fans.”

Speaking at the event, the CEO, who is tasked with rekindling the spark at the country’s largest sports brand, said that in Nike’s 50-plus years of existence, “it has been all about putting the athlete at the center of the conversation .” . This helps drive innovation around the product, storytelling, etc. That’s why we will continue to do this. It has always been about growth and the growth of sport around the world. As far as our partnership is concerned, it is broadly in the same direction. . . trying to expand the game of basketball beyond the elite athlete to the grassroots, men’s, women’s, boys’, girls’, different formats, three-on-three – go through the list. The international orientation also plays a major role in the further development of the game of basketball. And I would add to the lifestyle and culture of basketball that you can go beyond just the court.”

The deal also includes new content initiatives, a renewed commitment to grassroots basketball and the further development of a shared membership program that provides benefits to fans of the brands through products, content and experiences, Nike said.

Nike Inc. and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) also extended their group licensing agreement, making the sports brand an official partner of the NBPA.

“This partnership extension reflects our continued commitment to growing the sport, promoting basketball culture and supporting the next generation of athletes,” said Sarah Mensah, President of Jordan Brand. “We put athletes and the game at the heart of everything we do, and this expansion serves to further engage basketball players in the shared pursuit of greatness as only Nike, Inc. and our partners can.”

Michael Jordan, perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time and a longtime Nike partner, was neither present in person nor on screen.

“Nike is inextricably linked to basketball and has helped fuel the growth and innovation around our sport for decades,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who was on stage during the event. “With an additional focus on youth basketball, our expanded partnership will create even more opportunities for aspiring players to learn and compete at all levels, and for fans of all ages to engage with the NBA and WNBA.”

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was also in attendance and said, “Since the founding of our league, Nike has been committed to a shared vision for girls and women’s basketball. Our continued partnership is an opportunity to strengthen development pathways and enhance touchpoints within our dynamic fan base while showcasing the WNBA globally.”

Together, Nike and the leagues will introduce programs and resources designed to make youth basketball accessible and scalable, providing youth of all backgrounds and abilities access to coaching, training, on-court development curricula and standards of play. They will also create basketball programs and resources aimed at increasing access to the sport and enhancing the playing experience for girls of all skill levels, and work to increase development opportunities for players, coaches and programs in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League to improve.

Nike will also expand its presence at key league events, including the NBA All-Star, WNBA All-Star, NBA Draft Combine, WNBA Draft, WNBA Changemakers and other events.

Nike has been an NBA partner since 1992 and has been the official on-court supplier since the 2017/18 season. It has been a marketing partner of the WNBA since its founding in 1997 and a marketing partner of the NBA G League since the 2017-18 season.