NEW YORK – The NBA today announced its Team Partnership Award winners for the 2023-24 season. The NBA Team Partnership Awards recognize teams for setting new standards of excellence in fan engagement, creative partnerships, and innovative programming, with the goal of enhancing the fan experience throughout the season and continuing to grow the game around the globe.

The Brooklyn Nets won the NBA Team Partnership of the Year Award, the Indiana Pacers received the NBA Changemaker of the Year Award, and the Cleveland Cavaliers took home the NBA Team International Strategy Award.  All 30 teams were invited to submit for each category and the winners were chosen by a finalist committee comprised of team and league executives.

“Year after year, teams across the NBA set the standard and work creatively with partners to deliver elevated fan experiences that help continue to grow the game globally,” said Jonathan Tillman, Executive Vice President of Team Marketing and Business Operations. “The winners of the 2023-24 NBA Team Partnership Awards – the Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers – demonstrated the positive business impact you can have when you put the needs of your fans first and take a revamped approach to engaging them.”

NBA Team Partnership of the Year

The Nets won the NBA Team Partnership of the Year Award for their fan-forward engagement campaign with American Express at Barclays Center, creating one-of-a-kind experiences for Nets fans and Amex Card Members alike.  The NBA Team Partnership of the Year Award recognizes the best partner marketing campaign and platform, with a focus on a big idea that meets the partner’s goals and achieves measurable results.

The Nets and American Express executed a season-long campaign focused on enhancing the game day experience and value of Amex Card Membership through unique brand activations and exclusive Card Member benefits. Programming included the “Life on Film” initiative which gave Nets fans the opportunity to capture content highlighting their game day experience, the “Nets Unite” collaboration which tapped local artists to create limited edition merchandise collections around tentpole cultural nights, and various surprise pop-up activations throughout the season.  The Nets also drove significant fan engagement through benefits and perks for Card Members such as a dedicated American Express Card Member entrance, a frictionless checkout-free shopping experience at the American Express Shop, and 10% off concessions for purchases made with an American Express Card.

NBA Changemaker of the Year

The Pacers were presented with the NBA Changemaker of the Year Award for their unprecedented partnership with Spokenote that saw the Pacers become the first major professional sports franchise in the United States to debut a QR-code-like patch on their jerseys. The NBA Changemaker of the Year recognizes a partnership that drives innovation and advances team business priorities through non-traditional platforms, technology, and/or community initiatives.

The Pacers were recognized for their first-of-its-kind collaboration with Spokenote to enhance the fan experience through new technology.  Leveraging Spokenote’s platform, the Pacers transformed the jersey patch into a fan engagement tool – fans that scan the patch receive access to exclusive, never-before-seen Pacers content throughout the season.  The partnership has also provided fans with an opportunity to memorialize their game-day experiences by attaching digital memories to commemorative tickets or other customizable keepsakes.

NBA Team International Strategy Award

The Cleveland Cavaliers received the NBA Team International Strategy Award – which recognizes the team with the best International Team Marketing Program strategy and partner platform – for the second consecutive year.  This award aims to celebrate robust, data-driven programs that support partner positioning and grow the team brand globally or in a specific international region.

The Cavaliers won for their continued commitment to authentically build fandom in communities across Brazil and net new investment in Paris surrounding the team’s appearance in The NBA Paris Game 2024.  The success of these initiatives resulted in the addition of six new investment partners to the Cavaliers’ international partner portfolio – Eaton Corporation, Swan, Canada Goose, Rocket Mortgage, Hennessy and Remy Martin.  The Cavs maintained an in-market presence in Brazil by hosting multiple court refurbishments, youth clinics and private B2B events throughout the year.  In Paris, the Cavs capitalized on their cultural relevance through their Cavs in Paris digital content series, exclusive merchandise collaborations, and client hospitality.