The renewal of the NBA franchise’s deal with Rakuten, which first starred in 2017, will see the company continue as the Warriors’ official e-commerce partner, video-on-demand partner, and affiliate marketing partner. The original deal was reported to be worth US$20 million a year, one of the biggest patch deals in the NBA.
Click here to read the story at sportspromedia.com.
Discussion Questions:
- What is the paradox of commercialism as described in your textbook (The Business of Sports & Entertainment)?
- How might a jersey patch represent the concept of the paradox of commercialism?
- What is sponsorship?
- What type of company is Rakuten?
- Why do companies like Rakuten sponsor sports teams like the Warriors?
- Why might Rakuten want to sponsor the Warriors rather than any other NBA teams?
- Why is selling an important function of marketing?
- What are renewals?
- How might a strong customer service strategy aid an organization in sponsorship renewals?
- Why do you think Rakuten chose to renew their partnership with the Warriors?