Spalding Celebrates 125th Anniversary of Basketball With 'Honor the Game' Campaign and New Partnership with NBA All-Star Chris Paul
BOWLING GREEN, Ky., Dec. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Spalding announced today the launch of its 'Honor the Game,' digital marketing campaign celebrating basketball's illustrious 125th anniversary on Wednesday, December 21st. As the largest basketball equipment supplier in the world, Spalding has been a partner of the sport for more than a century and is honoring the game that has challenged, inspired and awakened the competitive spirit in all of us.
"We are extremely proud of our storied history with the game of basketball. From developing the first basketball for official use to being the Official Basketball of the NBA for 33 years, basketball is core to what we do," said Kenyatta Bynoe, VP of Global Brand Marketing and Partnerships at Spalding. "Our latest campaign, 'Honor the Game' will ignite a conversation around the impact the sport has had on the entire basketball community. We look forward to continuing to grow the game on a global stage and sharing the experience for the next 125 years."
Spalding's 'Honor the Game' campaign encourages #TrueBelievers and basketball fans via a call-to-action to share inspired social media posts and stories on how they will honor the game in celebration of the 125th anniversary of basketball. The campaign will be brought to life and distributed through partnerships with SLAM, ABC digital networks and other strategic partners. To enhance and celebrate the anniversary, the brand will release an open letter to the game of basketball, a series of 'Honor the Game' themed digital content and 125 limited-edition commemorative SPALDING® basketballs, which will be featured on the brand's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Spalding.com sites throughout the month of December.
In addition to the campaign, Spalding is proud to announce a partnership with NBA All-Star and L.A. Clippers point guard Chris Paul. Paul joins an elite class of brand endorsers including NBA All-Stars DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors and Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers. As part of the partnership, Paul will be featured in the 'Honor the Game' campaign and in future Spalding marketing initiatives, appearing in digital and print ads as well as in-store signage.
"We are thrilled to welcome Chris Paul to the Spalding family," adds Bynoe. "His contribution to the game of basketball is incredible both on and off-the-court. Chris embodies the spirit of our #TrueBelievers movement through his uncompromising work ethic and confidence in defying all odds and obstacles."
Join Spalding, Chris Paul and all our valued partners in the conversation as we celebrate the 125th anniversary of basketball by sharing how you will 'Honor the Game' on social media with the hashtags #TrueBelievers and #125HoopYears. Follow us on Facebook.com/Spalding, Twitter @Spalding and Instagram @SpaldingBall. Explore the world of #TrueBelievers and see us in action at Spalding.com.
About Spalding
Spalding is the largest basketball equipment supplier in the world, and America's first baseball company. SPALDING® is the official basketball of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the official backboard of the NBA and NCAA, the official baseball of the Little League World Series® and the official volleyball of the King of the Beach® Volleyball Tour. In addition to being the leading producer and marketer of basketballs, footballs, volleyballs and soccer balls, Spalding produces softballs under the DUDLEY® brand. The SPALDING® and DUDLEY® trademarks are owned by Russell Brands, LLC. For more information, visit www.spalding.com.
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