The steady attrition of stars has left the 2016 U.S. men’s basketball team without the NBA’s biggest names, but sponsors still see plenty to work with as the team prepares for another run at a gold medal in Rio.
When the team’s final 12-man roster is unveiled today, it won’t include reigning two-time league MVP Steph Curry or NBA Finals MVP LeBron James. Nor will it include perennial all-stars Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge, John Wall or Anthony Davis.
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The NBA’s Paul George is among athletes featured by USA Basketball sponsor Gatorade.
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But sponsors say many marketable stars remain, and Kerry Tatlock, NBA senior vice president of global partnerships, says 2016 is “as robust a year of activation that we’ve ever seen.”
Verizon, PepsiCo and Anheuser-Busch InBev are the biggest new partners since 2012, with Verizon taking presenting rights to the team’s five-city showcase tour that starts July 22 in Las Vegas.
A-B InBev acquired USA Basketball rights in November as part of a renewal with the NBA and plans on erecting a “build-a-bar” near or around the arena at each showcase stop. The hospitality sites will feature retired player appearances, live DJs, Team USA-themed giveaways and games, and a bar with A-B products.
In the auto category, Jeep is using the team as the basis for its “Summer of Jeep” campaign, including two spots with Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, now healthy after a serious injury forced him from the team in 2014. Jeep also will solicit user anecdotes with its #myjeepstory social marketing efforts and celebrate its 75th anniversary with the team, said Jeep advertising head Kim Adams House.
George, the cover star of the “NBA 2K17” video game, will appear on the cover in his USA basketball jersey, also a first.
One reason for the enthusiasm, despite the loss of so many stars, is geography. Unlike most Olympic warmup tours, the men’s showcase is entirely domestic this year, opening the door to more hospitality and business-to-business opportunities, said Aaron Ryan, senior vice president of NBA global partnerships and USA Basketball. “It allows folks to really focus on a bit more of a narrower strategy,” he said.
USA Basketball Sponsor Activity
■ Cisco: Technology will be used by the team throughout its showcase games and the Olympics. Players and coaches will use Cisco tools to speak with media, each other and family and fans in the U.S. during the Rio Games.
■ FedEx: USA Basketball legends will appear at two VIP dinners in Los Angeles and Chicago.
■ Gatorade: Product during showcase games and Team USA packaging featuring Paul George. Also supporting youth development events and offering sports science help to coach certification program.
■ Budweiser: Mobile “build-a-bar” outside showcase games with legend appearances, a DJ, giveaways and games.
■ Aquafina: Brand presence in arenas during showcase games and giveaways.
■ Wynn Las Vegas: Official training camp home.
■ Samsung: Equip coaches with new tablets for in-game strategy and practice/preparation help. Also will create new Samsung 360 content series, featuring a behind-the-scenes look at training camp and the showcase tour.
Another upside this year is the relaxation to the International Olympic Committee’s Rule 40, which used to strictly prohibit non-Olympic sponsors from using Olympians in advertisements during the Games. Jeep is still seeking approvals to air the George spots during the Olympics, Adams House said, but is enthusiastic either way. USA Basketball partner Gatorade obtained a waiver to use an image of George in a campaign, along with other Olympians.
Most of Team USA’s sponsors are not U.S. Olympic Committee or International Olympic Committee rights holders and therefore cannot directly associate with the Rio Games.
“In previous years, we celebrated the entirety of the team, and we’ll do the same this year,” Adams House said.
The governing body and the NBA, which sells marketing rights for the team, will emphasize legacy storylines this year, Ryan said. That includes a send-off to coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is retiring from coaching the U.S. team after Rio, and marking the 20-year anniversary of the women’s team’s current consecutive gold-medal streak. Legacy also means heavy activations around USA Basketball youth development programs, which have secured commitments from Nike, Gatorade, Kaiser Permanente and mouth guard maker Shock Doctor.
State Farm’s latest renewal with the NBA included Team USA, and the insurance company is looking at spots on the TV broadcast, and in-venue signage, said advertising director Ed Gold. He said the Rule 40 changes at least open the potential to keep airing ads with Olympians, such as its popular “The Hoopers” series, during the Games, though that decision hasn’t been made yet.
The biggest stars expected to make the team include George, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green.
MSP Sports founder Tim McGhee said Team USA won’t quite have “the magic” it would have if Curry and James played together, but the likes of Durant and Green are still extremely compelling.
“There’s no shortage of marketable stars,” McGhee said.
