The news: NBA sponsorship revenues rose 8% to $1.62 billion this season according to SponsorUnited data; over the past five years, sponsorship earnings have soared 91%, with 450 new brands signing on this season alone.
- Growth was driven by new jersey patch deals, venue launches like the Intuit Dome, and a surge in team- and player-specific endorsements.
- The Golden State Warriors topped the NBA with over $200 million in team sponsorship revenues—ranking alongside top franchises across all US sports.
- Meanwhile, players are pulling in more brand deals than ever: Rookie Jared McCain of the 76ers set a league record with 30 individual endorsements.
- The league held steady at 4,668 brand sponsors between 2023 and 2024, even as other major US leagues saw more dramatic shifts.
Why it matters: The NBA’s commercial appeal is growing not just in volume but in value. Although the number of brand partners remained flat YoY, average deal size climbed to $654,000.
- Sectors like financial services ($250 million), tech ($140 million), and healthcare ($110 million) continue ramping up spend, with Rakuten, JPMorgan Chase, and Toyota leading the charge. Sponsorship now goes well beyond signage: integrations span naming rights, jersey patches, digital activations, and high-profile player deals.
- The league’s heightened media profile also plays a role. Amazon’s upcoming NBA package on Prime Video will feature marquee moments like a Black Friday game and offer custom branding tools, positioning the streaming giant as a key facilitator of premium ad experiences. This complements the NBA’s new $76 billion media rights agreement with ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Amazon, which kicks off next season.
Our take: The NBA’s ability to hold sponsor volume steady while increasing deal value reflects its strength in attracting higher-caliber, deeper-pocketed partners. Player-driven engagement, social media clout, and multi-platform exposure all fuel this growth.
As the league shifts further into streaming and digital-first distribution, its commercial ecosystem is poised to expand—especially with Amazon’s cross-league sponsorship offerings enabling brands to stay active year-round. For that reason, the NBA is becoming one of the most valuable arenas for marketers in all of sports.