LONDON and PARIS – Yoplait and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced a new partnership that makes the celebrated drinkable yoghurt brand YOP an official partner of the NBA in France, following their inaugural partnership around The NBA Paris Game 2020 presented by beIN SPORTS, the first-ever regular season NBA game in France that took place last January.

The exclusive marketing partnership features special NBA-branded YOP products with a range of on-pack promotions, including the opportunity for customers to receive discounts on NBA merchandise on NBAStore.eu.  The partnership will also be promoted on the NBA’s social media platforms in France.  Further elements will be announced during the 2020-21 NBA season, which tips off Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020.  YOP supported The NBA Paris Game 2020 as the official yoghurt of the NBA offering customers a chance to take part in unique NBA-themed contests through their bespoke ‘YOPStars’ promotion.

“We are excited to build on our partnership with YOP, an instantly recognizable brand and part of France’s cultural DNA,” said NBA EME Vice President, Global Partnerships Vandana Balachandar.  “Following our successful collaboration around The NBA Paris Game 2020, we look forward to continuing to work together and further engage our fans across the country through NBA-themed promotions and dynamic content.”

In basketball, a blocked shot can change the course of a game, and two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and NBA All-Star Rudy Gobert is one of the league’s best shot-blockers.  To celebrate this prowess, YOP partnered with Gobert on an initiative entitled “Change le Game” that will see YOP donate €500 to Rudy’s Kids Foundation for every Gobert blocked shot during Utah Jazz home games in the upcoming 2020-21 NBA season.  The final end-of-season donation will be used to support children’s programs in France, as well as encourage the practice of sports and leisure activities among the most vulnerable populations.  This initiative is in line with YOP’s mission to inspire teenagers, its core target group, by encouraging them to make their own choices and believe in their potential.

As part of “Change le Game,” a series of limited-edition YOP products featuring Gobert will be available in stores across France beginning in April 2021.

“We are very proud to associate the YOP brand with one of the finest sporting institutions in the world,” said Myriam Riedel-Kienzi, French Marketing Director for Yoplait.  “There is an unmistakably strong correlation between YOP fans and NBA fans, including our common shared values.  At YOP we make it our mission to inspire teens and encourage them to take action to reach their goals and make a difference for a better world.  This is why we want to elevate our partnership with the NBA by also supporting Rudy Gobert, one of the best players in the NBA and a well-loved sports personality in France, in his support of offering a platform to underprivileged children.”

“As an athlete, I have the great privilege to be able to use my platforms in support of less fortunate children, through Rudy’s Kids Foundation,” said Gobert.  “Children should always be able to pursue their dreams, regardless of their circumstances.  I am excited to partner with YOP, a brand that shares my belief that there are no limits to the goals children can set for themselves to achieve their ambitions.”

Committed both on-and-off the court, Gobert actively participates in the positive transformation of society.  His personal journey has led him to develop determination, confidence, flexibility and resilience to meet the demands of a high-performance sport, a journey that echoes YOP’s mission.  With its brand platform YOP #NoLimits, YOP encourages young people to believe in themselves and find their own path by disrupting norms and clichés.

Fans in France can find more NBA information at NBA.com/France, the league’s official online destination in France hosted on beINSports.com, and on Facebook (NBA France), Twitter (@NBAFrance) and the @NBAEurope Instagram account.  Fans can also purchase the latest NBA merchandise at NBAStore.eu.  For more information on YOP, visit www.Yop.fr or Yop_fr Instagram Page.

About YOP
YOP is the creator of drinkable yoghurt, and an iconic French brand.  Since 1974, YOP has been offering 100% French milk yoghurt drinks made in France and accompanies teens in their daily lives by encouraging them to dream big, and to give themselves the means to reach their goals with #NoLimits.

About the NBA
The NBA is a global sports and media business built around four professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women’s National Basketball Association, the NBA G League and the NBA 2K League.  The NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 100,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents.  NBA rosters at the start of the 2019-20 season featured 108 international players from 38 countries and territories.  NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass.  The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 1.9 billion 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.