Brands Flock to USA Basketball with Sponsorships
Chevrolet, Coca-Cola Co., McDonald’s Corp., PepsiCo’s Gatorade and Molten Worldwide Distributing have teamed up with USA Basketball the governing body for men’s and women’s basketball in the U.S., to sponsor exhibition games, special events and broadcast coverage here and abroad.
The brands join State Farm Insurance Co. and Nike as marketing partners of the Colorado Springs, CO-based non-profit organization.
General Motors’ Chevrolet will promote its vehicles at USA Basketball’s Red, White & Hoops Tour presented by State Farm. The traveling road show brings basketball and interactive activities to fairs and festivals in 15 cities through Sept. 10. At each stop, Chevy will showcase an interactive vehicle display and sponsor a slam-dunk contest; Chevy also will advertise during televised USA Basketball games, and provide vehicles for training camp sessions.
Coca-Cola will target youth in China, Korea and the Philippines with ads on televised USA Basketball games and promotions, including a tie-in with the association’s Hoops for Troops presented by State Farm. That event brings members of the U.S. military to USA Basketball practices, games, clinics and autograph sessions in the U.S., South Korea and Japan.
McDonald’s will conduct USA Basketball-themed promotions in China and South Korea. In Guangzhou, China, McDonald’s will provide a combo meal that gives fans a chance to win tickets to the 2006 China Basketball Challenge in Guangzhou Aug. 7-8. In South Korea, McDonald’s will conduct an Internet promotion awarding tickets to a USA Basketball game in Seoul. A promotion dubbed USA Basketball Enduring Moments presented by McDonald’s will also be featured during game telecasts.
For its part, Gatorade is running an Explore the Dream and Win promotion in China, putting NBA player Dwyane Wade on 20 million bottles of the sports drink and awarding tickets to the China Basketball Challenge. Gatorade also plans promotions in South Korea.
Meanwhile, athletic ball maker Molten will use its partnership to promote its Federation Internationale de Basketball (FIBA) basketball. The 12-panel, two-toned ball becomes the official game and practice ball of USA Basketball and will be used at all of the organization’s practices and exhibition games.
