Indigenous basketball scores Coles, Spalding and Under Armour sponsorship
The Indigenous Basketball Australia (IBA) has secured sponsor partnerships with global sport brand Under Armour, basketball equipment supplier Spalding, Coles and specialty brands, Ref Warehouse and Archer Officials.
NBA Champion, three-time Olympian and proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian Patty Mills has partnered with the NBA to create an IBA league, through its Jr. NBA program, to deliver the first of its kind program and competition in Australian sporting history.
As part of the deal, the NBA will hold a basketball camp led by international NBA coaches at the National Indigenous Basketball Tournament (NIBT) on the Gold Coast from 11-13 April.
The partnership will see Under Armour design and supply the basketball jerseys for Indigenous Community Basketball League (ICBL) as well as performance apparel for training and game-days of the NIBT.
“Under Armour has long been committed to making athletes better, but in order to be better, athletes require the opportunity in the first place.” said Under Armour managing director Australia and New Zealand, Fernando Reani. “Under Armour’s purpose is to empower those who strive for more. Through our long standing partnership with Patty Mills and now IBA, we are working together on common goals and values to help provide opportunity and access for the next generation of young athletes to realise their potential..”
Spalding is the exclusive and official basketball and accessories partner of the IBA and will supply all balls and ball carts for IBA competitions and practises.
Coles, Australia’s largest employer of Indigenous people, is the official refreshments provider for participants and representatives.
Ref Warehouse will be the referee equipment partner and Archer Officials the referee apparel partner of the IBA. Complemented by referee equipment from Ref Warehouse, Archer Officials will provide custom uniforms including an Indigenous-designed shirt for all IBA referees, the referee camp training tees and instructor polo shirts.
“The idea of Indigenous Basketball Australia is a product of my own personal journey and its purpose is
to impart this experience to help support, motivate and inspire the next generation.” said Mills. “I am
incredibly humbled by the calibre of partners that have come on board to support IBA. Together, we are
building a one-of-a-kind program and creating a safe and positive environment that will allow my
people to truly flourish. It takes a team to bring a concept like this to life and I can wholeheartedly say the IBA has a winning one.”
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Olivia Kruimel is the managing editor at Mumbrella. She has more than 15 years of experience in journalism, communications and marketing. Her journalism career began at Fairfax Media (now part of Nine) and includes various B2B publications such as B&T, Travel Today and ALB. As a marketer Olivia has worked for Standard Chartered and various global law firms.
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