NBA basketball franchise the Boston Celtics has agreed a jersey sponsorship deal with digital industrial company GE.
The multi-year deal begins with the 2017-18 NBA season and names GE as the team’s exclusive data and analytics partner. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the Bloomberg news agency reported that the deal will earn the Celtics more than $7m (€6.5m) per year.
GE’s sponsorship patch will feature the company’s logo in Celtics colours and will be located in the front-left shoulder area of the team’s jerseys. The partnership marks the first jersey sponsorship deal in the Celtics’ history.
Under the agreement, GE, which last year moved its global headquarters to Boston, will provide the Celtics with its expertise, products and insights across data science, medical equipment and lighting solutions.
GE’s services will be used in areas such as player performance, injury prevention and business optimisation. The two parties will also work to integrate GE’s technologies at the team’s facilities, including the state-of-the-art Auerbach Center training facility, which is scheduled to open next year.
In addition, GE will receive brand integration through digital and social media content, fan engagement initiatives, TV-visible signage and scoreboard promotions, and will also work with the Celtics on community initiatives.
Celtics president Rich Gotham said: “GE will be woven into the fabric of the Boston Celtics both literally and figuratively. Their leadership in innovation, analytics, and technology will help us to be as competitive as we can be in everything from optimising our facilities and equipment to player performance. Simply put, GE will make us a better and smarter basketball team and organisation.”
The team becomes the third NBA outfit to commit to a jersey sponsorship deal for the 2017-18 season after the Philadelphia 76ers teamed up with online ticket exchange StubHub and the Sacramento Kings struck a deal with almond brand Blue Diamond Growers.
The NBA announced last April that teams would be permitted to agree jersey sponsorship deals as part of a three-year pilot programme spanning the 2017-18 to 2019-20 seasons.