Westpac invests in NBL partnership

Australia’s National Basketball League has unveiled financial services company Westpac as a partner.

The deal will run until the end of the 2015-16 campaign.

Westpac will serve as the league’s official banking and finance partner.

“Westpac’s Australian and international reach, as well as their commitment to digital innovation, is highly complementary to the NBL’s growth strategy,” NBL executive director Larry Kestelman said. “We are not a start-up product in Australia – basketball is a global product with enormous international partnership reach – particularly into emerging markets through Asia, where the game is well established.”

Kestelman added that Westpac would benefit from the league’s commitment to digital platforms.

“We have also invested heavily in our digital capabilities, in order to offer a premium product focused on engaging fans and recapturing old fans who have been unable to remain connected with the game in recent years,” he said. “This will also help to capture new fans who now expect to consume information across multiple digital platforms. Westpac shares our commitment to delivering a first-class digital experience.”

Westpac has joined the likes of Virgin Australia, Telstra, Chemist Warehouse and Ladbrokes in coming on board since the controlling interest of the league was acquired by Kestelman.