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Celtics Deal Marks Insurance Brands’ First Jersey Patch Foray Into the NBA
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The insurance category remains a key player in major pro sports sponsorships in the US, highlighted by Amica Mutual Insurance's recent deal to be the primary jersey patch sponsor for the Boston Celtics starting next season. Hot on the heels of the team’s 2024 NBA Championship win, the landmark agreement marks the first time an insurance company has scored a major pro sports jersey patch sponsorship outside of MLS.
In addition, American Family Insurance has served as Atlanta United FC’s official kit sponsor since 2017, while Nationwide Insurance’s jersey patch deal with Columbus Crew SC began in 2021. UnitedHealthcare’s jersey sponsorship of the New England Revolution dates back to 2011.
Among pro sports leagues, the NHL is the insurance category’s top investment target, attracting almost 50% of insurance brand sponsors. GEICO, AAA, and Liberty Mutual lead the list (in that order) of most active brands by sponsorship and media deals. Pro hockey is a natural fit for insurance brands, whose preference for TV-visible signage dovetails with the NHL’s rollout of digitally enhanced dasherboards (DEDs). This sponsorship asset debuted during the 2022–23 season and enables digital replacement of camera-visible arena ads on broadcasts. This past season saw 28 insurance sponsors leverage the revolutionary technology.
Interior signage—namely ribbon board digital ads, one of the category’s expanding marketing assets—ranks first among insurance brands’ most popular assets across major pro sports. Nearly 30% of insurance sponsorships include TV-visible rotating signage, such as high-visibility backstop rotating banner ads and courtside apron digital ads.
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