Sprint To Take T-Mobile's Spot As NBA Partner

The NBA today announced a multi-year deal with Kansas-based telecom, Sprint. The deal has been rumored for months and was first reported during the lockout back in September.

Sprint will take over for T-Mobile, which had been a major sponsor of the league since 2005. According to SBD, the four-year deal is worth a $45 million rights fee and the total value of the agreement could reach $250 million with contractual media buys.

A key element of the Sprint - NBA partnership is the development of a new custom app called "Sprint NBA Mobile" which will be the most comprehensive app in the marketplace for NBA fans. The app will include access to in-game and post-game video highlights, news, scores, stats, live home and away radio broadcasts, in addition to providing direct access to live ESPN NBA Games via Sprint TV's ESPN Channel. "Sprint NBA Mobile" will be available on Android phones exclusively to Sprint customers by the tip-off of the season and will be offered at no additional cost with unlimited usage with an Everything Data Plan.

"Only Sprint delivers the NBA without limits to fans with truly unlimited plans, so fans can watch and listen to live games from their phones or check scores and stats as much as they want without worry," said Dan Hesse, Sprint CEO.

The NBA has been busy this week. On Monday, it was reported that Gatorade, Anheuser-Busch and AutoTrader.com were all renewing partnerships with the league and yesterday it added a new partner in fast growing apparel-maker, Under Armour. For its part, Sprint last week also announced an early three-year extension of its NASCAR partnership.

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