NBA and F1 announce their first partnership

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Formula 1® (F1) yesterday announced their first partnership. The collaboration will cover content and activations and like the others was created to celebrate both the 75th anniversary of the basketball league, which kicks off today, and the return of the liveries to the United States on Sunday 24 October in Austin, Texas. Among the initiatives, on Thursday 21 October, ESPN will host the drivers of the 10 F1 teams who will compete off the track for a free throw challenge inside the NBA75-themed court on the paddock of the Circuit of the Americas. Some of the greatest NBA legends will be present to help and give the drivers tips on how to improve their free throws. The driver who manages to shoot the most free throws possible will win $20,000 to donate to the charity of his choice. But that's not all, because in addition to the free throw contest, the drivers' liveries will be transformed, with exclusive versions of customised F1 cars representing all 30 NBA teams being presented.

A unique partnership between two brands as well as leagues whose initiatives are totally revolutionising the world of sport and beyond. F1 will be totally revolutionised next year, thanks to the new ownership, Liberty Media, which took control of the group for $4.4 billion at the end of 2016. For the NBA, on the other hand, this is nothing new: after the change of logo, the capsule collection with BOSS, the documentary, the beauty collection with ColourPop, now comes the one with F1 for an unforgettable year from both a sporting and a marketing point of view. After the bonds issued in June to support all operations, the league's goal is to surpass $9.1 billion in pre-pandemic revenue and record even higher numbers through all the upcoming initiatives.