NBA banks BBVA renewal

Spanish banking group BBVA has signed a multi-year extension to its marketing partnership with the National Basketball Association.

BBVA first partnered with the NBA in 2010 and it will remain the official bank of the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the NBA Development League (D-League).

To mark the extended sponsorship, BBVA will launch an advertising campaign featuring NBA stars Kevin Durant (pictured) and James Harden, who are global ambassadors to the bank, while its president Angel Cano stated his group would seek to use the NBA’s expertise in digital media to boosts its own operations.

“The NBA has done a phenomenal job of growing its brand globally, in large part through innovative use of digital channels, and that’s what BBVA is focused on doing,” Cano said. “Partnering with an institution like the NBA allows us to tap into the league’s passionate fans around the globe, extending our reach in meaningful ways.”

BBVA’s US arm BBVA Compass retains the designation of official bank of the NBA in the US and stays on as title partner to the Rising Stars Challenge – an exhibition game played during the NBA All-Star showpiece featuring the league’s most talented first and second-year professionals.

Additionally, BBVA will continue to support the NBA Cares social responsibility programme through various initiatives and it remains the naming sponsor of NBA global properties such as the NBA Global Games in Turkey and Spain and the NBA 3X Spain.

NBA teams Dallas Maverick and Houston Rockets have their own existing partnership agreements with BBVA.