Professional basketball in America is hotter than ever–and if this year is any indication, its momentum shows no sign of stopping.

The NBA set records for total attendance, average attendance, and sellouts in the 2022-23 regular season, while a record 791 sellouts shattered the previous mark of 760 set four years ago. To top it off, an ever-growing number of fans filled stadiums to a record 97% capacity.

These numbers are music to sponsors’ ears. NBA team sponsorship revenue skyrocketed to a staggering $1.4 billion this season–a robust 10.5% increase from the prior year, adding more than $100 million to team revenues. The league and its teams inked 2,430 sponsorships, a 3.5% increase versus the previous season.

Players are using their social media status as a springboard to build their own brands and woo more sponsors–as they should, considering league players average almost 95K in total engagement per deal, more than 2.5x that of the average major pro sport athlete. Fueled by their rising profiles on social, league athletes are extending their reach far beyond the court, adding a whopping 28 categories to their brand sponsorship portfolios in just one season. Seven of the top 10 most socially engaging teams were playoff contenders this season–driving fan engagement and illustrating the snowballing clout of social media in professional sports.

Meanwhile, prime opportunities continue to surface for potential sponsors, as searches for NBA teams on the SponsorUnited platform soared, increasing almost fivefold compared to last season–a clear sign brands are keen on a sponsorship slam dunk. This year, the league went without a Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR) partner for the first time since 2009, while PepsiCo’s new Starry beverage brand became the NBA’s official soft drink, and tequila brands took the NBA by storm. The Knicks’ search for a jersey patch sponsor–at a reported $30M price tag–went unfulfilled, leaving the door open for possible contenders next season.

Against pro basketball’s increasingly dynamic backdrop, we’re excited to unveil the 2022-2023 NBA Marketing Partnerships Report. Authored jointly by SponsorUnited’s Marketing Research & Insights, Analytics and Marketing teams, it delivers an in-depth analysis of more than 2,800 brands, 240 athletes, and over 37,800 social posts between September 2022 and April 2023, from 2018 through 2023.