LONDON – Marriott International, Inc. and the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today that Marriott Rewards, the company’s award-winning loyalty program, will become the presenting partner of the NBA Global Games London 2016, featuring the Orlando Magic playing the Toronto Raptors at The O2 on Jan. 14, 2016. Today’s news extends Marriott’s existing partnership with the NBA announced in July 2015 when Marriott was named the Official Hotel of several marquee NBA events around the world, including NBA Global Games 2015-16, NBA Africa Game 2015 and NBA Canada Series 2015. Marriott is the first company to partner with the NBA across international games on five different continents.

Leading up to the game, Marriott Rewards will give basketball fans and celebrities a chance to pursue their passion for basketball with two days of fun throughout London. An iconic double decker bus will be branded NBA and Marriott Rewards complete with an NBA hoop. Celebrities, including soccer star Didier Drogba, will make appearances at the bus proving their shooting skills and sharing the experience with their fans on social media using the hashtag #AroundTheWorld. Two lucky fans will be recruited on social media to join these celebrities for an on-court experience during the NBA Global Games London 2016* with one fan winning one million Marriott Rewards points toward a trip around the world**.

“Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. With this extension of our NBA partnership, we are creating memorable experiences for our Marriott Rewards members and connecting them with others who share their passion for basketball and travel,” said Karin Timpone, Global Marketing Officer, Marriott International. “Similar to what we are doing with music and entertainment, our NBA partnership also helps us communicate the depth and breadth of our portfolio and amplifies the benefits of the Marriott Rewards program for both new and loyal guests.”

In addition to the festivities, up to 30 Marriott Rewards Elite members will get a chance to watch the game from premium seats at The O2, as well as attend a meet and greet with former NBA players Horace Grant and Rick Fox. As the presenting partner of NBA Global Games London 2016, Marriott Rewards will receive prominent brand exposure, including event logo inclusion and on-court and in-arena signage.

“We are excited to welcome Marriott Rewards as the Presenting Partner of our sixth straight, sold-out game in London,” said NBA EMEA Senior Vice President and Managing Director Benjamin Morel.  “Marriott is a dynamic global brand, and we look forward to continuing to work together to further enhance the NBA experience for our fans in the UK.”

NBA Global Games London 2016 presented by Marriott Rewards will air live on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Showcase.

For more information, fans can visit Facebook.com/NBAUK and follow @NBAUK on Twitter.  Fans can download the NBA App for news, updates, scores, stats, schedules, videos and more.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open to legal residents of the UK who are at least 18 years of age. Begins 12:00 noon GMT 12/1/16; ends 12:00 noon GMT 13/1/16. For complete Official Rules and eligibility, visit: https://mrpoints.chirpify.com/prizedraw/AroundTheWorld. Sponsor: Marriott International, Inc.

** NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Open to the two (2) winners of the social media prize draw (above) who are at least 18 years of age. Complete Terms & Conditions will be available at the NBA Global Games London 2016. Sponsor: Marriott International, Inc.

About Marriott Rewards
Marriott Rewards is Marriott International’s award-winning loyalty program spanning 16 brands and over 4,000 properties worldwide. Marriott Rewards is free to join and has no blackout dates and members can earn and redeem points at Marriott International properties around the world and at Marriott Rewards exclusive luxury partner The Ritz-Carlton®. Members can also redeem points for frequent flyer miles, cruises, car rentals, merchandise and more. By making rewards accessible with a modern, easy approach, Marriott Rewards continues to be a leader in the industry. Marriott Rewards has won the Freddie Award for “Best Hotel Rewards Program in the Americas” for the last eight years and is a two-time winner of the Frequent Travel Award for “Best Hotel Rewards Program.” In addition, the program has been named best hotel rewards program by the readers of U.S. News & World Report, About.com, Business Traveler, Global Traveler, Executive Travel and BusinessWeek magazines. To enroll and for more information about Marriott Rewards, guests can visit MarriottRewards.com.

About the NBA
The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League.  The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2015-16 season featured 100 international players from 37 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA.com and the NBA app, which achieved record traffic during the 2014-15 season, as well as NBA TV.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 960 million likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms.  Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.