Sprint Branding At NBA Finals Games In S.A. To Decrease As Spurs Protect AT&T

Game 4 of the NBA Finals tips off tonight in San Antonio, and fans both in the AT&T Center and watching on ABC will not see any Sprint branding courtside as the Spurs contend with a minor sponsorship conflict. While Sprint is a league sponsor, the Spurs' arena naming-rights partner is AT&T. The NBA controls the courtside rotational signage during nationally televised broadcasts, but team officials said there will be no highly TV-visible signs featuring Sprint during tonight's game. “The NBA is very good at avoiding conflicts,” said Spurs Exec VP/Corporate Partnerships & Broadcasting Lawrence Payne. “We are allowed to protect a small number of clients, and AT&T is part of that.” Sprint signed a four-year deal with the NBA in '11; AT&T has held naming rights at the building since '02.