• by Karl Greenberg , July 6, 2009

The National Basketball Association has signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with Taco Bell that makes the latter "Official Quick Service Restaurant" of the NBA.

The partnership extends a three-year-old global marketing deal between the NBA and Taco Bell's parent, Yum Brands, Inc. The NBA says the earlier relationship was for Yum's KFC restaurant brand, which did NBA-themed activities in 16 countries and territories in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

With the new arrangement, Taco Bell gets access to the NBA brand for in-store promotions; sponsorship of NBA, Women's National Basketball Association and NBA Development League events; and television and online branding exposure.

David Ovens, CMO of Taco Bell, said in a release that the deal allows the restaurant chain to extend its "Think Outside the Bun" theme to sports. "We ... look to integrate ourselves in a natural and respectful way."

Taco Bell will run national NBA-themed promotions and will have a presence on NBA national game telecasts on ABC, ESPN and TNT. The chain will also launch NBA-themed advertising.

Some of the specifics of the deal include a heavy presence during the 2010 NBA All-Star game at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Taco Bell will sponsor the Taco Bell Skills Challenge, wherein NBA guards race the clock to complete a series of basketball drills. The QSR chain will also have arena presence at the games, brand presence on the global broadcast of the game, and traditional ad space during the broadcast.

At the venue, Taco Bell will join Adidas as a sponsor of the "NBA Jam Session" presented by Adidas, the NBA All-Star attraction which features more than 500,000 square feet of non-stop basketball action for fans of all ages, and the NBA Draft presented by EA Sports. Taco Bell will also give fans special opportunities to sample select menu items during all of these marquee NBA events.

Taco Bell also sponsors nine NBA teams: the Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, and Utah Jazz.