Cavaliers Make Goodyear Jersey Patch Official; Deal Includes Branded Content On TNT

The Cavaliers and Goodyear this afternoon will formally announce their jersey patch partnership beginning with the '17-18 season, and the agreement also will involve Turner Sports, which has been hired by the Cavs to help “amplify the deal nationally," according to a source. Turner’s in-house agency Ignite Sports will create custom Goodyear-branded content to appear on TNT NBA coverage and provide media services for the Cavs. It is the first such deal for Turner’s Ignite Sports, which is looking to align itself with other NBA jersey patch deals (John Lombardo, Staff Writer). In Cleveland, Joe Vardon notes the Cavs-Goodyear pairing, which was first reported in February, "makes sense," as Cavaliers F LeBron James is "Akron's favorite son, and Goodyear is the city's cornerstone company" (CLEVELAND.com, 5/15). Financial terms of the deal were not available, but in Cleveland, Kevin Kleps notes the Cavs are now the "sixth NBA team to announce a jersey patch sponsorship." The "previous five were all reportedly worth at least $4 million per season" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 5/15). ESPN.com's Darren Rovell notes Goodyear is "not the official tire of the NBA (that designation belongs to Kumho), but that category was not protected in this case." Goodyear's most high-profile sponsorships include the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, the College Football Playoff and the Pro Football HOF (ESPN.com, 5/15).