Tyre manufacturer Yokohama Tire Corporation and sportswear company Adidas have become the first companies to reinstate their sponsorship deals with NBA basketball team the Los Angeles Clippers after the franchise’s owner Donald Sterling was handed a lifetime ban for making racist comments.
Both companies were amongst a host of sponsors to withdraw their support earlier this week after Sterling was recorded making racist remarks.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that he would try to force Sterling to sell the franchise.
Yokohama Tire has reached an agreement with the Clippers to donate half of the 2014 NBA playoff sponsorship funds to NBA charitable organisations.
Andrew Briggs, director, marketing and product planning at Yokohama Tire, said: "Yokohama applauds NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's leadership and actions by banning Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life from any association with the team or NBA. With the Clippers' agreement, we have found a way to continue moving forward and give back to the community and our fellow Clipper fans."
Adidas also told the Daily Herald newspaper that it would reinstate its sponsorship of the franchise.
The sportswear company said it would replace all of its traditional adverts and logo placements with the Clippers logo and ‘We Are One’ during the playoff meeting with the Golden State Warriors tonight (Thursday).
Other sponsors that also withdrew their support earlier this week are yet to confirm their plans. According to the Associated Press news agency, Mercedes-Benz USA’s car dealerships ended its support while fellow dealership chain CarMax, airline Virgin America and the Chumash Casino Resort curtailed their deals. Kia Motors America, energy drink maker Red Bull and flooring retailer Lumber Liquidators suspended their deals while insurance company State Farm said that it would be “taking a pause” in its relationship with the franchise.