National Basketball Association inks broad marketing deal with Spain’s BBVA Group

NBA inks broad marketing deal with BBVA Group

NEW YORK — The National Basketball Association said Monday that it will promote Spanish banking giant BBVA Group as the league’s official bank under a multiyear marketing deal.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The deal calls for BBVA to be advertised as the official bank of the NBA and its related leagues — the NBA Development League and the Women’s National Basketball Association — in the U.S., Spain and Puerto Rico.

“Basketball is a global game, and this new partnership illustrates how the transcending popularity of the NBA, the WNBA and the NBA D-League provide our partners with unique opportunities to engage our fans and celebrate the game in a variety of cultures,” said Mark Tatum, the NBA’s executive vice president of global marketing partnerships.

In the U.S., BBVA’s U.S. banking franchise, BBVA Compass, will use its network of more than 700 retail banking locations to conduct NBA-themed promotions. The bank also will be promoted on NBA national game telecasts and as a presenting partner of an NBA tour, among other events.

The first marketing effort will take place during the upcoming WNBA Finals. The bank’s logo will be featured on players’ jerseys.

BBVA’s designation as the NBA’s official bank is only for marketing purposes. The league isn’t using BBVA as its bank, NBA spokesman Carmine Tiso said.

The league did not previously have a marketing plan designating an official bank, he said.