The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Taco Bell Corp. (“Taco Bell”), today announced that Taco Bell has become the Official Quick Service Restaurant of the NBA, thus suppalnating Burger King as theOfficial Quick Service Restaurant for the league.

As part of this comprehensive, multiyear marketing partnership Taco Bell will reach the broad and avid fan bases of the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association and NBA Development League through a wide array of assets, including marquee league events, television and online exposure, and NBA–themed promotions in its nearly 5,600 restaurants nationwide.

“The NBA represents an incredible opportunity for Taco Bell, one that fits perfectly with our ‘Think Outside the Bun®’ marketing strategy and whose fans are a natural fit with our core customer,” said David Ovens, Chief Marketing Officer, Taco Bell Corp. “As with our other sports partners, we respect the fabric of the game and look to integrate ourselves in a natural and respectful way. We want to create a marketing partnership that is elevating and one the NBA, Taco Bell and basketball fans everywhere can be proud of.”

“We’re thrilled to enter into this partnership with Taco Bell, an industry leader that has a history of success in using sports to build its brand and drive its business,” said Heidi Ueberroth, President, Global Marketing Partnerships and International Business Operations, NBA. “Taco Bell excels at engaging its consumers and we share the same enthusiasm for connecting with our fans. We look forward to collaborating on creative initiatives that celebrate the game.”

Throughout the partnership, Taco Bell will conduct national NBA-themed promotions and will have a significant presence on NBA national game telecasts on ABC, ESPN and TNT. Taco Bell will receive comprehensive television and online advertising exposure through NBA, WNBA, and NBA D-League media platforms, and will also launch NBA-themed creative advertising. Taco Bell will also continue to activate with the NBA on a local level through its nine team partnerships, which include relationships with the Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Utah Jazz.

Beginning at NBA All-Star 2010, Taco Bell will be the title partner of the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, an NBA All-Star Saturday Night competition featuring top guards working against the clock to complete a series of basketball drills. The title partnership of the event will include extensive in-arena presence, commercial time, and integration into the worldwide telecast of the event. In addition, Taco Bell will become an associate partner of NBA Jam Session presented by adidas, the NBA All-Star attraction which features more than 500,000 square feet of non-stop basketball action for fans of all ages, and the NBA Draft presented by EA SPORTS. Taco Bell will also give fans special opportunities to sample select menu items during all of these marquee NBA events.

This partnership is an expansion of the current international relationship between the NBA and Yum! Brands, Inc. through an international partnership with KFC. The partnership began in 2006 in France surrounding NBA Europe Live presented by EA SPORTS, and has since grown to become a large-scale international partnership that includes NBA-themed activities in 16 countries and territories in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Source: Taco Bell Corp

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