I might just be showing my age, but growing up in the early 80’s the Sydney Kings were the hottest ticket in town, possibly the most famous team to adorn purple & gold (this was at a time before global sport leagues & teams were beamed into the lounge rooms and onto the devices of millions across the world).
Reflecting back now, little did I know 12,000kms away there was another team, instantly recognisable by its iconic purple & gold threads...THE most successful & globally recognised basketball team on the planet!
This past week brought two of my passions together when the Los Angeles Lakers joined our Wasserman Rights Sales stable of global clients. Personally, I feel extremely privileged to be exclusively representing the Lakers’ brand in the ANZ region.
Whilst I’ll spare everyone the pain of seeing me in one of my many LeBron James jerseys, what makes this partnership most exciting its global reach and bespoke opportunities for brands in international markets (including Australia) to capitalise.
Did you know…
🏀 The Lakers have the largest global fan base in US sports, with 90% of Lakers fans living outside North America
📱 Australia is the NBA’s biggest market for its League Pass subscription streaming service outside the US
📺 NBA games in Australia are accessible through Foxtel (and Kayo Sports), Fetch, ESPN, NBA League Pass, TAB & Sportsbet
🎰 The NBA is the biggest sport in terms of gambling turnover in Australia, outranking the NRL & AFL at any given point in the year
⛹️♂️ 1.6m+ Australians play basketball, and as the most requested school sport in the country, the rise of the NBA is likely to continue
🎽 Australia is also the biggest buyer of NBA merchandise
👩💻 In 2021, the “NBA” was the most searched topic on Google in Australia
⏰ NBA teams play 82 times per year, the US time difference means they run during late morning or lunchtime, never clashing with local sports (e.g. AFL & NRL)
So if you’re an Aussie brand looking to drive business in Los Angeles and/or connect meaningfully with your customers around the world, I’d love to discuss how you can build your business with this purple & gold legacy!
We are delighted to announce that Wasserman Rights Sales – our dedicated sponsorship sales team, has been appointed by the Los Angeles Lakers as its exclusive international commercial agency, with a specific focus on identifying international partnership opportunities.
With a rich and storied history, this engagement aims to further broaden the Lakers’ presence globally, by pursuing relationships with world-renowned brands internationally. The team is extremely excited to be representing the iconic purple and gold franchise outside of the US and look forward to taking their international profile to even greater heights.
Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/4bS2rwq
#TeamWass
Great team there Stacy McWilliams!! Nice move.