Menu
Leagues and Governing Bodies

NBA expands reach to tout Christmas games

The NBA is rolling out two new commercials to promote this year’s five Christmas Day television broadcasts and the related retail efforts.

In addition to running on the league’s TV partners (Turner, ESPN and ABC), the new 30-second spots will run on a variety other networks — including CNN, VH1, BET and Comedy Central — as part of a more aggressive marketing strategy under new NBA Chief Marketing Officer Pamela El.

“Christmas Day is the most watched day of the regular season, and we wanted to do something big and aggressive, and something that can stand out,” said El, who joined the league this summer. “One of our objectives is to get casual fans to tune in and watch the games.”

The spots will also run on

league-run digital outlets, such as NBA.com, and on outside digital platforms, including USAToday.com and SBNation.com. There will be no print buy for the Christmas Day campaign.

“We are buying networks that are outside of traditional sports media,” El said.

Both spots were produced by DDB New York, as the NBA transitions from agency of record Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to Translation beginning in January. Goodby had been the league’s agency of record since 2007.

The creative theme of both ads is “Gifts,” as the league pushes the message that there is no

The creative theme for both ads is “Gifts,” which fans might find under the tree but won’t see on the court Christmas Day.
gift-giving on the court despite the holiday season.

The NBA’s Christmas Day schedule is Washington vs. New York on ESPN, San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City on ABC, Cleveland vs. Miami on ABC, the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Chicago on TNT, and the Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State on TNT.

The retail-focused spot, which was slated to begin running this past weekend, shows the specially designed Christmas Day jerseys that will be worn by star players on teams playing Dec. 25 this year.

Those jerseys will feature the players’ first names on the back instead of their last names — so Kobe (Bryant), LeBron (James) and Derrick (Rose).

The tune-in spot, which is scheduled to debut on Friday, will feature Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving, Chicago’s Pau Gasol, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Miami’s Dwyane Wade and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul.

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2014/12/15/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NBA-Christmas-Day.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2014/12/15/Leagues-and-Governing-Bodies/NBA-Christmas-Day.aspx

CLOSE