US DIY and home improvement retail chain Home Depot has announced a new multi-year partnership with the NCAA collegiate sports governing body.
Through a three-year deal, Home Depot has acquired rights as an official corporate partner across all 90 of the NCAA’s championships, including the upcoming Division 1 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, known as March Madness, and its Division 1 women’s equivalent.
The NCAA and Home Depot will activate around March Madness through a co-branded March Madness-based advertising campaign featuring basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal.
This advertising campaign will have visibility across a number of major US TV networks owned by all of the US’ largest media conglomerates, including Paramount-owned CBS, Warner Bros. Discovery-owned TNT and TBS, and Disney-owned ESPN.
Molly Battin, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Home Depot, stated: "We've had a long-standing commitment to collegiate sports, and we're excited to add the NCAA and its March Madness tournaments to our roster."
March Madness 2024 begins on March 19 and runs through to April 8.
Home Depot joins the NCAA’s “Corporate Champions and Partners Program” as a second-tier “corporate partner”, a tier that also includes major US brands such as restaurant chain Pizza Hut, consumer conglomerate Unilever, and insurance brand insurance firm Geico.
The sporting body boasts three elite “Corporate Champions” partners, telecommunications firm AT&T, financial services provider Capital One, and soft drinks giant Coca-Cola.
Dan Gavitt, senior vice president of basketball at the NCAA, added: "We are thrilled to welcome Home Depot, one of the most recognized brands in college sports, to the NCAA Corporate Champions and Partners Program.
“We look forward to working with Home Depot on its activations engaging fans during our championship events."
Home Depot already partners a number of high-profile sporting competitions in the US.
In March 2023 the brand announced the multi-year extension of its commercial deal with the country’s top-tier Major League Soccer competition.
Home Depot will continue as the official home improvement retailer of the 29-team league, as it has been since 2008, with the previous renewal coming in June 2019.
