VIRGIN AMERICA has agreed a sponsorship deal with National Basketball Association (NBA) team the Los Angeles Clippers to run through the 2013/14 season.
The two-year partnership will see the San Francisco-based airline, the only operator headquartered in the state of California, become the official airline partner of the Clippers in a deal valued by Frontloaded at around $2.5m per year.
The deal is initially being activated on social media, with both the Clippers and Virgin America running a ticket giveaway promotion on Twitter.
Sponsoring the LA Clippers represents a growth in marketing activity by the Virgin brand having previously sponsored low-key sports events, such as a local volleyball tournament, subsequent to the airline’s launch in August 2007.
In 2009 Virgin America agreed a two-year marketing partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise the San Francisco Giants in a deal valued at around $1m per year. The deal expired in October 2011.
Under US law it is illegal for a foreign investor to own more than one quarter of an American airline. As a result, Black Canyon Capital owns 75 per cent of the company while Richard Branson and the Virgin Group owns the remaining 25 per cent, including the rights to license the fleet.
By Luke Harman
Follow Luke on Twitter: @lukeharmanSBG