NBA Draft Sponsors Finalize Activation Programs

NBA corporate sponsors are finalizing activation programs for Thursday night's NBA Draft at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. State Farm replaces Kia as the event's presenting sponsor this year, giving the insurance company inclusion in the draft logo, four 30-second ad units during ESPN's broadcast, ads and enhancements on NBA TV, draft features and a large ad presence on NBA.com, including a roadblock on draft day. Social media extensions include draft updates on Facebook as well as tune-in and event alerts on Twitter. Associate sponsor Sprint receives on-site signage, along with broadcast and digital ads. At Prudential Center, Sprint is sponsoring an NBA Draft “Green Screen” photo opportunity, through which fans can print a branded photo of themselves shaking NBA Commissioner David Stern's hand on the draft stage and share the photos via Facebook and Twitter. Sprint also will give phones and service contracts to drafted players. Meanwhile, associate sponsor HP will have hardware placed and used at the event, along with HP-branded index cards used to read each pick. BBVA, the NBA’s official bank, will host a family seminar and will have on-site branding, as well as social media and broadcast units. Gatorade will have product and branded cups throughout the event. AmEx will host two exclusive experiences for card members: a 2012 NBA Draft Experience and a D-League Fantasy Camp/NBA Draft package. NBA lead apparel licensee adidas will supply the official draft caps, which players will wear on stage. The event marks the final sendoff for the NBA at Prudential Center, as the Nets tip off next season at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

PICK A CARD: Panini America, the NBA's exclusive trading-card licensee, has signed seven top-projected NBA Draft picks. The agreements grant Panini exclusive rights to produce autographed trading cards with Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Thomas Robinson, Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger, Austin Rivers, John Henson and Andre Drummond. Since the lockout delayed the start of the '11-12 season, Panini also will release "rookie" cards before the start of the '12-13 season with players who were actually rookies this past season, including Rookie of the Year Cavaliers G Kyrie Irving, T'Wolves F Derrick Williams and Nuggets F Kenneth Faried. Panini's "12-13 HOOPS" trading cards will be released Aug. 8. Panini had five NBA releases during the '11-12 season, and will have 25 in '12-13.