BBVA teams up with NBA on new multiyear agreement
he National Basketball Association (NBA) and BBVA today announced an extension of their marketing partnership, cementing the global financial services group’s role as the Official Bank of the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the NBA Development League (NBA D-League).
o accompany the news of the agreement's extension, BBVA is debuting new NBA-themed advertising with its global ambassadors, Kevin Durant and James Harden. The spot, which reinforces the group’s brand as a global, digital enterprise, was filmed in the U.S. and Spain. In it, the roof of the iconic BBVA Tower in the Spanish capital was transformed into a street court in September for Harden, who was in town competing for the USA Basketball Men’s National Team. The rest was filmed in Oklahoma City with Durant. Named “The Blindfold,” the spot evokes the lengths BBVA will go to as it transforms into a truly digital bank to help its clients achieve their financial goals, anytime, anywhere.
“The NBA has done a phenomenal job of growing its brand globally, in large part through innovative use of digital channels, and that’s what BBVA is focused on doing,” said Ángel Cano, BBVA President and COO. “Partnering with an institution like the NBA allows us to tap into the league’s passionate fans around the globe, extending our reach in meaningful ways.”
“Since we began our partnership in 2010, BBVA has quickly achieved significant growth in their business among NBA fans in both the U.S. and abroad,” said NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO, Mark Tatum. “They’ve accomplished this by weaving into the fabric of the NBA – everything from NBA Banking, to the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, to working with us on important financial literacy programs through NBA Cares – and we look forward to creating even more programs that celebrate our game in the years to come.”
BBVA’s U.S. banking franchise, BBVA Compass, remains the Official Bank of the NBA in the U.S. and will maintain its role as title partner for the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge, a popular exhibition game during NBA All-Star that pits some of the League’s most talented first- and second-year players against each other.
During its time as a sponsor of the NBA, the bank has collaborated with the league on NBA-themed fan offerings, including NBA Banking, BBVA Compass’ first all-digital checking and savings account. The account generated customers from the fan base of all 30 NBA teams and from each state in the continental U.S.
The news of the renewed partnership was announced in San Antonio at Graebner Elementary School, where BBVA Compass and NBA Cares, the league’s global social responsibility program, tipped off their annual campaign to promote financial literacy. Through the program, dubbed the BBVA Compass Future Builders Program, BBVA Compass and various NBA Legends will visit elementary, middle, and high schools throughout the U.S. to teach students the value of cultivating good financial habits at an early age.
“BBVA’s vision is to work for a better future for people and we’ve been able to make a deep and, we hope, lasting impact through our partnership with NBA Cares,” said BBVA Compass Chairman and CEO Manolo Sánchez. “Together, we have reached more than 50,000 students in the U.S. and have made a multimillion-dollar investment in schools through refurbishments, technology donations and financial education. And it’s only just begun.”
Internationally, BBVA will maintain its title partnership of the NBA Global Games in Turkey and Spain as well as its title partnership of the NBA 3X Spain, a grassroots 3-on-3 tournament that will visit six cities in Spain in 2015.
The bank is also a partner of the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, and several teams in the WNBA and D-League. It also recently signed Kawhi Leonard as a brand ambassador in San Antonio and Chandler Parsons as a brand ambassador in the Dallas market.