This is the first time that a professional sports league in the US will take on the name of a sponsor. Why is this important?
As television viewing begins to decline and tickets sales increase, to offset cost for fans, sponsorships are needed. Amazingly this also allows for branded uniforms that aren’t as intrusive. It’s a genius move by the NBA to incorporate the G logo onto the small uniform logo patch as opposed to a large logo on the jersey which people in the US aren’t comfortable with.
This is also an opportunity for the NBA to develop a stronger social media position without incurring the marketing expenses as Gatorade will create branded content for social channels that will be more capable of reaching the disappearing market of millennials.
As the next generation of fans become more engaged with technology, a lot of R&D will take place at the G-League level.
Connectivity between the NBA and the NBA’s official minor league continues to grow. Recent changes to the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement have reinforced that synergy, as NBA teams will be able to have up to two “two-way players” on their rosters beginning next season. These “two-way players” will gain experience in the NBA, but will primarily play in the NBA G-League as part of their NBA journeys.
