NBA and Foot Locker expand and extend deal to include Paris Games

North American basketball’s top-tier NBA has extended and expanded its commercial agreement with US sports retail chain Foot Locker, in a multi-year deal.

Through a new tie-up unveiled today, Foot Locker continues as an official marketing partner of the NBA across Europe, while the new element of the deal will entail the brand serving as an associate partner of the NBA Paris Games 2025.

The long-standing agreement between the NBA and Foot Locker was last extended – to beyond 15 years in total – in November 2023, with that deal giving the brand US marketing rights.

Two regular-season NBA games between the Indiana Pacers and the San Antonio Spurs will take place in the French capital in late January, at the Accor Arena – the fourth and fifth regular-season NBA games in the city since the first expansion there in 2020.

Foot Locker will also continue as a host of youth basketball clinics on the continent in tandem with the NBA, “while providing essential tools, platforms, and networks designed to deepen engagement.”

Dina Ahmad, vice president of global partnerships for NBA Europe and Middle East, has said: “We also look forward to working with Foot Locker on a variety of fan activations in conjunction with the two games in Paris in January between the Spurs and Pacers, which will be a weeklong celebration of basketball and the NBA for fans from across the region.”

In terms of the NBA’s commercial activities, late last month the league and and women’s WNBA renewed their partnerships with DoorDash, the on-demand food delivery service.

Under the multi-year extension, DoorDash continues as the official on-demand delivery platform partner of the leagues.

A new deal with the Wingstop chicken-centric restaurant chain has also recently been announced.

Kim Waldmann, Foot Locker’s chief commercial officer, added: “Expanding our marketing partnership with the NBA in Europe solidifies Foot Locker’s leadership in basketball culture globally and deepens our impact beyond the game. As basketball’s influence continues to grow, we’re excited to connect with fans and players through unique events and activations that celebrate the sport and its culture across Europe.”

Foot Locker, in addition to its NBA-wide partnership, was unveiled as a specific sponsor of the Chicago Bulls franchise in mid-October.

The tie-up includes the two entities putting on community basketball events, in-store activations, and behind-the-scenes player-focused content throughout the season. Sportcal