Shai Gilgeous-Aalexander # 2 and Jalen Williams # 8 of Oklahoma City Thunder React on the bench against the Timberwolves of Minnesota during the fourth quarter of the Five Match of the final of the West Conference of Oklahoma in 2025 at the Payom Center on May 28, 2025 at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Matthew Stockman | Getty images
NBA teams have marked $ 1.62 billion in sponsorship income this season – an increase of 8% since last year, and 91% against $ 850 million five years ago, according to the sponsority of the third -party data company.
While the volume of transactions has only increased by 2.5% since last year, partnerships have become larger and more strategic, according to the report on the marketing partnerships of the NBA 2024-2025 of sponsornited, which follows sports and world entertainment sports.
This transport is still shy, however, of the NFL, which had nearly $ 2.5 billion in team sponsorship income, an increase of 6% compared to the previous season, according to Sponsorunited.
A key element in the increase in NBA income is the proliferation of sponsor patches on team jerseys, said Bob Lynch, founder and CEO of the data company.
The number of jersey patch transactions – common in international football and increasingly popular in the NBA since their introduction in 2017 – more than doubled from year to year last year. There were first six partners from Jersey NBA, contributing to more than $ 80 million new expenses this year, according to the report. Transactions generally take place on an average of three years, said Lynch.
“It was in a way this crazy race to provoke these offers, which generate a lot of buzz and a lot of income,” said Lynch. “These partnerships can represent a quarter of a billion dollars in additional revenues which were generated just from 11 offers that have been sold. It therefore shows the viability and continuous interest in the NBA just on these jersey patches alone.”
The opening in 2024 of the Intuit Dome of Los Angeles Clippers also helped to generate global sponsorship income.
“Whenever these leagues have a large stadium that opens or an expansion team, this adds so much income to the League,” said Lynch.
“Between Jersey Patches and the Clippers stadium, it was like the equivalent of bringing three new teams to the League that generated income,” he said.
There were 450 brands that entered the NBA sponsorship for the first time this season. The greatest growth comes from the brands of the construction, alcohol and technology sectors, according to Sponsorunited.
Rakuten and JPMorgan Chase rank like the most expenses of the league, according to the report. Chase is the Arena sponsor for the Golden State Warriors, while Rakuten has a patch on the team jersey.
The increase in sponsorship is involved in the heels of the 67 billion dollars' media agreement in the league, in which games will be offered through Disney 'S platforms like ESPN, Comcast'S NBC Broadcast and Peacock, and AmazonThe privileged video starting next season. The latest media rights agreement shows a strong accent on streaming and a wider expansion on broadcast television.
Stars
Andre Iguodala, # 9; Stephen Curry, # 30; And Klay Thompson, n ° 11, of the Golden State Warriors who raised themselves during the match against the Boston Celtics at the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California, on March 8, 2017.
Noah Graham | National Basketball Association | Getty images
Individual star players have signaled to some of the most important approval agreements, which has not contributed to a total of the team's sponsorship, but often serves as a gateway for brands to possibly conclude agreements with teams, said Lynch.
“What we see is that players almost themselves become teams in the number of sponsorship transactions they have,” said Lynch.
Initially, the star players and their following were considered a threat to the global income of the League and the team's sponsorship. Instead, they provided a boost, said Lynch.
“He has created a wider ecosystem for brands to enter the NBA space, soak their toe in the water,” he said.
Athletes often report approval agreements which can last a few months, as opposed to team sponsorships which are in the longer term. The exception is the generational players, like Steph Curry and LeBron James, who have the leverage for long -term offers.
This season, Jared McCain of the Philadelphia 76ers signed 30 approval agreements, the most by a player in a single season in the history of the NBA, according to Sponsorunited.
The other NBA athletes who led approval agreements include three New York Knicks – Karl -Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson – who propelled the team to the final of the Eastern Conference this season.
The Curry of the Golden State Warriors was also among the most sleepy NBA players. Curry saw his commercial career trajectory change when he signed an agreement with Under armor In 2013, which was worth around $ 4 million a year, CNBC recently reported. In 2023, Curry extended the agreement and received 8.8 million shares under armor, worth $ 75 million at the time.
Overall, the Warriors ranked alongside the NFL Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Dodgers of the MLB as part of a handful of American teams that follow annual sponsorship agreements.
Disclosure: Comcast has nbcuniversal, the parent company of CNBC.