Apple’s Beats by Dre, NBA Partner for Marketing and Team Merchandise Deal

For the longest time, Apple-owned Beats by Dre headphones were the unofficial headphones of NBA superstars such as LeBron James and more, as the league’s top players would always roll into arenas wearing the company’s headphones.

NBA Partnership

Today, the partnership has become official, as Beats by Dre and the NBA have signed a marketing and merchandising deal, to make Beats the official headphone, wireless speaker and audio partner of the league, along with the WNBA, NBA G League and USA Basketball, starting in October 2018.

“Beats revolutionized the music industry and has become one of the most innovative and culturally influential brands in the world,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, in a press release. “Through our partnership, we have an exciting opportunity to merge sports, pop culture and technology to deliver unparalleled experiences and premium products to our fans.”

Beats will also work with existing NBA teams in separate deals to launch NBA team-branded headphones, along with their own line of other audio products.

Toronto Raptors Beats by Dre headphones, anyone? Or Vancouver Grizzlies Beats Pill speaker featuring “Big Country” Reeves (wishful thinking!)?

“The NBA and its players have long been significant drivers of global culture. Basketball, music, and style speak as one voice: Julius Erving became a style icon, Allen Iverson cemented hip hop’s place on and off the court and LeBron James is breaking new music every day… the list goes on and on,” said Luke Wood, President of Beats by Dr. Dre. “This partnership with the NBA is the perfect alignment for Beats. It feels like coming home.”

The deal will see Beats products provided to players during major events such as the NBA All-Star weekend and NBA Draft, along with international NBA games, WNBA All-Star and Draft, along with USA Basketball men’s and women’s national team exhibitions.

“I always want to be the best and work with the best. That’s why I joined the Beats fam – they have the best headphones and they made them a style icon when no one else thought of electronics that way,” said six-time NBA All-Star James Harden.

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