The National Basketball Association (NBA) and TISSOT announced today a new multiyear global partnership that makes the Swiss watch brand the first Official Timekeeper of the NBA, Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and NBA Development League (NBA D-League).
According to the joint media statement, this marks the first Official Timekeeping partnership for TISSOT with a major North American sports league and the largest partnership in the company's history of more than 160 years. With the agreement, TISSOT adds to an already robust portfolio of international sports and sporting event partnerships. TISSOT, the number one Swiss traditional watchmaker in terms of volume and a member of the Swatch Group - the world's largest watch producer and distributor - will work with the NBA to develop a state-of-the-art integrated timing system. The new precision timekeeping system, inclusive of TISSOT-branded shot clocks, will be implemented across all 29 NBA arenas beginning with the 2016-17 NBA season.
"TISSOT is very proud to join the NBA and to be able to create a bond with the players and the fans," said Francois Thiebaud, President of TISSOT. "The emotions and the spirit behind the sport will further translate into our products. Our daily work is to dress time. We create pieces of beauty and accuracy but above all of emotionality and that is what sport, and more particularly the NBA, is about."
"In basketball every second - or even tenth of a second - can be critical, and this new partnership with TISSOT will bring state-of-the-art timing technology to every NBA arena," said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. "We are proud to partner with TISSOT, a world-class brand with a long history of developing innovative and dependable timekeeping systems." Additionally, the watch company will receive global league licensing rights for timepieces, watches, clocks, and watch accessories for all NBA teams. TISSOT will provide support for the partnership at its retail stores around the world.
The partnership will tip off this week during NBA Global Games 2015-16, which will feature six NBA teams playing seven regular-season and preseason games in six countries. TISSOT will also become Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of several marquee league events, including NBA All-Star, NBA Draft presented by State Farm, Samsung NBA Summer League, and NBA Global Games.
As part of the partnership, TISSOT will make investments across all NBA teams and league broadcast partners. In addition, TISSOT and the NBA will partner on a global basis through events, marketing, media, and the launch new NBA-themed creative and advertising.
