NBA’s “200% fan-centric” brand prioritizes Brazil
The NBA is celebrating its 10th year in Brazil after opening the NBA Brazil office in Rio de Janeiro. The group employs a 25-person staff between São Paulo and Rio.
According to internal NBA data and external research, more than 45 million Brazilians identify as NBA fans, Vicentini said, a figure that’s doubled from 2017 to 2021.
The league has grown in Brazil by deploying a multipronged strategy, he said, by combining grassroots basketball and educational programming designed for younger children and teenagers with an expanded retail presence, wide media distribution across linear, social media and digital platforms and business tie-ups with sponsors, who can leverage the league’s Brazilian audience.
There are now 18 NBA-branded retail stores in Brazil along with an NBA mobile truck store, the first and only such store on wheels for the league. A retail store visitor in Brazil typically spends an hour to 90 minutes participating in the immersive experience, Vicentini said, from shooting hoops and watching live NBA games to playing the NBA 2K video game and shopping for a jersey.
Blue-chip companies that work with the league in Brazil include Gatorade, SAP, Google and Nike Inc., among others. All told, about 25 companies have a relationship with NBA Brazil, Vicentini said. The NBA declined to disclose financial information about its sponsorship business in the country.
Among international markets, Brazil ranks No. 1 in subscribers on NBA League Pass, the league’s TV service that broadcasts every game to subscribers. Vicentini expects more investment into the league’s streaming provider in Brazil with Portuguese-specific content and programming around sneaker culture, fashion and lifestyle.
With the NBA Finals looming, over 30,000 fans are expected to buy tickets to this year’s NBA House, which features local partner Budweiser as a presenting sponsor, according to Vicentini. He described the event as a “deep-dive into the NBA universe” where fans can win prizes, watch the finals and participate in sponsors’ activations.
“It doesn’t matter where you are in Brazil,” Vicentini said, “you’re going to see the NBA all over the place.”
Orlando’s magical connection with Brazil
Haley Meier, director of tourism and group sales for the NBA’s Orlando Magic, said the city’s tourism association Visit Orlando identified Brazil as a top international market several years ago. Over the past decade, the Magic have followed a similar “all-in” approach with Brazil, she said.
The organization’s multiple trips to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo have served as both a relationship-building and business development exercise with online travel agencies and tour operators who can then incorporate a Magic ticket into their suite of product offerings. There’s been a concerted effort by the Magic to participate in tour and travel trade shows that focus on the county, she said.
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