Rakuten Forges Partnership with NBA Champion Warriors

Tokyo, Sept. 12 (Jiji Press)--Major Japanese cybermall operator Rakuten Inc. <4755> said Tuesday that it has clinched a multiyear partnership agreement with the Golden State Warriors, which won the championship of the U.S. National Basketball Association in the latest 2016-2017 season. Rakuten's logo will be featured in all jerseys of the Oakland, California-based professional basketball team, including its practice, regular and post-season uniforms, beginning with the 2017-2018 NBA season. The badge will be on the upper left of the front side of the jerseys. The NBA has approved the sale of jersey sponsorships from the coming season. As part of the agreement, Rakuten will become official e-commerce, video-on-demand and affiliate marketing partner for the Warriors. The team's training facility, the Warriors Practice Facility, was renamed the Rakuten Performance Center. Rakuten did not disclose the specific period of the partnership or the value of the deal. "We are thrilled to partner with the Golden State Warriors, one of the most successful organizations in sports today and one that shares our passion for positivity, teamwork ad optimism," Rakuten President Hiroshi Mikitani said. The Warriors have claimed five NBA championships. In the 2015-2016 season, the team won 73 games to set a new NBA record. Rakuten has a similar partnership agreement with Spain's FC Barcelona, one of the leading professional soccer clubs in the world. In Japan, Rakuten owns Vissel Kobe, a club in the J1 top division of the Japan Professional Football League, or J.League. It also has the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, a professional baseball team in the Pacific League. END