The Los Angeles Lakers, the iconic NBA franchise, have hired US-based sports marketing giant Wasserman to secure international sponsorships.
Wasserman will serve as the team’s exclusive commercial agency as it seeks to bolster its portfolio of global brands.
The role was previously held by international sports marketing agency Sportfive which was hired by the Lakers in 2021 to secure a jersey patch sponsor and up to three sponsorships with international brands.
Sportfive brokered a lucrative five-year agreement with Korean food company Bibigo to become the franchise’s jersey patch sponsor at the start of the 2021-22 season in a deal running through the 2025-26 season.
That contract is worth around $100 million ($20 million per season).
Bibigo was also named as an official global marketing partner of the Lakers, which established it as the first international partner ever for the franchise.
Wasserman's dedicated rights sales team will work closely with the Lakers to secure global partners.
The agency bolstered its commercial sales offering by acquiring CSM Sport & Entertainment in 2023.
As part of the NBA’s International Team Marketing Program, the Lakers are seeking to further extend their commercial platform globally, with opportunities for brands to activate with the 17-time NBA champions across traditional advertising, digital platforms, and experiential programming.
Tim Harris, Los Angeles Lakers chief operating officer and president of business operations, said: “Lakers fandom goes far beyond with 90% of Lakers fans living outside North America.
“The Lakers have the largest global fan base in American sports and we have an incredible opportunity to meet people where they are through our international programs. Wasserman, which is now home to a dedicated commercial sales division, will help premier global brands looking to drive business in Los Angeles and around the world connect with the Lakers.”
The NBA initially trialed the International Team Marketing Program for three seasons from 2019-20 to 2021-22 before implementing it permanently.
The program allows each of the 30 NBA franchises to sell global marketing rights, covering territories outside North America, to two existing or new sponsors.
The NBA had previously retained full control of international sponsorship rights across the league.
The international sponsors of NBA teams have rights they can activate at retail locations and on their own digital and social media platforms, but are not able to use in-game content in their marketing.
