NEW YORK – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Kia Motors America, Inc. (KMA) today announced a new multiyear extension of their marketing partnership, which began in 2008.  In addition to continuing to serve as the league’s Official Automotive Partner, Kia also now is recognized as the Official Luxury Vehicle of the NBA, following the recent introduction of the brand’s modern and elegant K900 rear-drive luxury sedan.  Kia will continue as the Official Automotive Partner of NBA All-Star and the title partner of Kia NBA Tip-Off, the Kia NBA Performance Awards, and the Kia NBA All-Star MVP award.  Kia also will expand its relationship to serve as an Official Automotive Partner of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and NBA Development League (NBA D-League).

Earlier this month, Kia announced LeBron James as its K900 Luxury Ambassador.  To celebrate the start of the NBA season and Kia NBA Tip-Off 2014, Kia also will debut a new television spot tonight called “Valet” featuring James, who joins a growing roster of Kia endorsers, which includes Los Angeles Clippers All-Star forward Blake Griffin.

Additionally, Kia has partnerships with 14 NBA teams after recently adding the Cleveland Cavaliers to its roster, which also includes: Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, and San Antonio Spurs.

Kia Motors is prominently featured throughout this week’s Kia NBA Tip-Off 2014, including integration across numerous media assets, such as the countdown clock on NBA.com and NBA TV, courtside signage, and social media and integration in the league’s extensive “Everybody Up” campaign.

To further reinforce the brand’s association with top NBA performances, Kia will introduce a new Top Plays platform on NBA.com.  Each week fans will have the opportunity to vote on top plays, and at season’s end, the highlight with the most fan votes will be named the Top Play of the Year.  In addition to helping select the year’s top play, fans will have the opportunity to help dictate the direction of a highlight-based commercial. Throughout the season, the NBA will post exciting clips via Twitter and Vine for fan consideration.  Plays that receive considerable retweets and loops, respectively, will be aggregated into an end-of-season television commercial, scheduled to debut during The Finals.

“As one of Kia’s longest-running partnerships, our involvement with the NBA and teams has driven dramatic increases in consumer awareness, perception and consideration for the brand, and we are excited to extend our partnership and continue connecting with the league and its passionate fans,” said Tim Chaney, Vice President of Marketing Communications, KMA.  “Like the NBA, Kia is a brand that appeals to a broad segment of the American market and through our expanded partnership as Official Luxury Vehicle of the NBA, we hope to bring the K900 flagship sedan to the forefront and bring confident, independent thinkers to Kia’s showrooms.”

“Kia is deeply integrated into the NBA experience year round – from Kia NBA Tip-Off, NBA All-Star, the monthly and season-ending Performance Awards, and the WNBA – through a variety of unique content offerings and promotions,” said Emilio Collins, NBA Executive Vice President, Global Marketing Partnerships.  “Building off of Kia’s equity in our prestigious end-of-season Kia NBA Performance Awards, we’re excited to continue to grow the platform with a seasonlong fan engagement program that gives them a voice around some of our most exciting content.”

Throughout the partnership, Kia will help the league engage fans across additional innovative programming, advertisements, and sweepstakes during the NBA season, including a Holiday Gift promotion on NBA.com that will provide fans the chance to win a Kia Optima and other exciting NBA prizing.

About Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America (KMA) is the marketing and distribution arm of Kia Motors Corporation based in Seoul, South Korea.  KMA proudly serves as the “Official Automotive Partner” of the NBA and LPGA and surpassed the 500,000 annual sales mark for the second consecutive year in 2013 following the launch of seven all-new or significantly redesigned vehicles.  KMA offers a complete line of vehicles, including the rear-drive K900** flagship sedan, Cadenza premium sedan, Sorento CUV, Soul urban passenger vehicle, Sportage compact CUV, Optima midsize sedan, Optima Hybrid, the Forte compact sedan, Forte5 and Forte Koup, Rio and Rio 5-door subcompacts and the Sedona midsize multi-purpose vehicle, through a network of more than 765 dealers across the United States.  Kia’s U.S. manufacturing plant in West Point, Georgia, builds the Optima* and Sorento* and is responsible for the creation of more than 14,000 plant and supplier jobs.

Information about KMA and its full vehicle line-up is available at www.kia.com. For media information, including photography, visit www.kiamedia.com.  To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

* The Sorento and Optima GDI (EX, SX & Limited and certain LX Trims only) are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

** 2015 K900 V8 available in select trims and in select markets with limited availability.