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Swiss Watch Brand Becomes the First Official Timekeeper of the NBA, WNBA, and
NBA Development League
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New Partnership will Enhance the Game through a Collaborative Integrated Timing
System
The
National Basketball Association (NBA) and TISSOT announced today a new
multiyear global partnership that makes the Swiss watch brand the first
Official Timekeeper of the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA),
and NBA Development League (NBA D-League).
This
marks the first Official Timekeeping partnership for TISSOT with a major North
American sports league and the largest partnership in the company’s history of
more than 160 years. With the agreement,
TISSOT adds to an already robust portfolio of international sports and sporting
event partnerships.
TISSOT,
the number one Swiss traditional watchmaker in terms of volume and a member of
the Swatch Group – the world’s largest watch producer and distributor – will
work with the NBA to develop a state-of-the-art integrated timing system. The new precision timekeeping system,
inclusive of TISSOT-branded shot clocks, will be implemented across all 29 NBA
arenas beginning with the 2016-17 NBA season.
“TISSOT
is very proud to join the NBA and to be able to create a bond with the players
and the fans,” said François Thiébaud, President of TISSOT. “The emotions and the spirit behind the sport
will further translate into our products.
Our daily work is to dress time.
We create pieces of beauty and accuracy but above all of emotionality
and that is what sport, and more particularly the NBA, is about.”
“In
basketball every second – or even tenth of a second – can be critical, and this
new partnership with TISSOT will bring state-of-the-art timing technology to
every NBA arena,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. “We are proud to partner
with TISSOT, a world-class brand with a long history of developing innovative
and dependable timekeeping systems.”
Additionally,
the watch company will receive global league licensing rights for timepieces,
watches, clocks, and watch accessories for all NBA teams. TISSOT will provide support for the
partnership at its retail stores around the world.
The
partnership will tip off this week during NBA Global Games 2015-16, which will
feature six NBA teams playing seven regular-season and preseason games in six
countries. TISSOT will also become Official
Timekeeper and Official Watch of several marquee league events, including NBA
All-Star, NBA Draft presented by State Farm, Samsung NBA Summer League, and NBA
Global Games.
As
part of the partnership, TISSOT will make investments across all NBA teams and
league broadcast partners. In addition,
TISSOT and the NBA will partner on a global basis through events, marketing,
media, and the launch new NBA-themed creative and advertising.
Pictures
are available at: http://www.presseportal.ch/de/pm/100020490/100778723
Kim
Mandara, NBA, 212.407.8158 or kmandara@nba.com