5miles' jersey patch sponsorship with the Mavericks will run through the '19-20 seasonNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
Dallas-based online and app marketplace company 5miles and the Mavericks yesterday announced a three-year partnership for the company's orange logo "to be placed on jerseys," according to Drew Davison of the Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM. The logos appeared for the first time during the Mavs' win over the Nuggets last night and will "continue through" the '19-20 season. 5miles "raved about the partnership" and having F Harrison Barnes "serve as one of its spokespersons." 5miles also "downplayed any sort of negative publicity that might come by associating itself with the Mavericks" following reports of workplace misconduct. Mavs Exec VP George Killebrew said that the team and 5miles "negotiated the deal for about six to nine months." Financial terms were "not disclosed." Mavs Owner Mark Cuban said that they had "multiple companies interested." Davison notes Mavs fans who "download the 5miles app will receive two free tickets to a future home game." 5miles is a company at the "forefront of using and accepting cryptocurrency, something Cuban has said fans will soon be able to use to buy tickets and merchandise from the team" (Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM, 3/7). In Dallas, Brad Townsend notes 5miles, launched in January '15, "boasts one million users in its largest marketplace" of Dallas-Ft. Worth. 5miles Founder & CEO Dr. Lucas Lu and CFO Garwin Chan said that the Mavs' partnership will "accentuate the company's expansion" through Texas, the U.S. and globally. 5miles beginning yesterday now "sponsors the Tuesday night T-shirt giveaways" at Mavs games, in which every fan "received a green Mr. C tee shirt, honoring" late former Mavs Owner & co-Founder Don Carter (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/7).
AT THE FOREFRONT: Social networking brand Bumble Founder Whitney Wolfe, whose company yesterday signed a jersey patch deal with the Clippers, said that she was "drawn to the NBA's global footprint and, more importantly," the Clippers' "commitment to gender diversity." BLOOMBERG NEWS' Scott Soshnick noted the Clippers have the "largest female leadership team in the NBA" under President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker. Wolfe said, "We saw the opportunity to create change together. When you see this logo it stands for something more. It stands for empowerment." Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer: "It's a great opportunity to associate a brand, mostly with women, with sports -- and the Clippers. There just aren't that many presidents of any sports teams who are women and well-equipped to make that bridge." The NBA said that last season, women "accounted for" 47% of the league's 127 million U.S. viewers. The league added that female NBA viewership is up 16% this season. Bumble had 29 million users "as of last week" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 3/6). NBC Sports Bay Area's Kelli Johnson said the Clippers have "a lot of women in power," which is "pretty cool." Johnson: "But I'm not quite sure if Bumble is something that women should feel empowered by." NBC Sports Bay Area's Ray Ratto added, "The only thing that's getting empowered here is..." Johnson: "Money" ("The Happy Hour," NBC Sports Bay Area, 3/6).
