BBVA Compass Friday announced the introduction of NBA Banking, the company's NBA-branded checking and saving accounts. As part of the effort, the bank has signed multiyear endorsement deals with Thunder F Kevin Durant and Rockets G James Harden, who will begin appearing in ads this weekend. BBVA, which is the official bank of the NBA, has begun using #Realfan and encouraging fans to post photos on Twitter and Instagram to display their "fandom" and promote the bank's products (BBVA Compass). In N.Y., Tanzina Vega notes the effort is meant to "help BBVA expand its presence in the United States beyond the 716 brick and mortar locations it has ... while targeting younger, tech savvy basketball fans." BBVA Compass CEO Manolo Sanchez said that it was "important to connect the brand with values like teamwork and fair play" (NYTIMES.com, 2/15). In Houston, Collin Eaton notes it is "no coincidence that the announcement comes on the same weekend" as the All-Star Game. Sanchez said, "It’s like the World Cup of basketball, if you will, and everybody on the whole planet is watching. We’ve been working on the NBA sponsorship for a few years. It was originally our parent company that had the vision to sponsor a global competition" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 2/15).
