Less than a year after announcing a multi-year partnership with the NBA, Foot Locker is doubling down on its NBA strategy with a multi-year partnership with the Chicago Bulls.
On Tuesday, Foot Locker announced the partnership, which aims to “further cement its leadership position in basketball” and become a sought-after destination for basketball sneaker shoppers, according to the company.
“Foot Locker has had a deep history connected to basketball for the 50 years we’ve been in business. In the last year, we’ve been cementing that by investing into a key couple of areas [around the sport],” said Kim Waldmann, Foot Locker’s global chief customer officer. “That includes partnerships, in-store experiences, and community and connecting with young hoopers on the local level.” The Chicago Bulls collaboration will play into these focus areas, she said.
The launch of the partnership will be celebrated on October 30 during the Chicago Bulls versus. Orlando Magic game. At the United Center arena in Chicago, Foot Locker will host a pre-game event inclusive of photo activations and skills-and-drills activities for fans. Mary Dillon, Foot Locker’s CEO, will attend the game and present the game ball, capping off the experience. Throughout the NBA season, which begins on October 22 and ends on April 13, Bulls fans, consumers and Chicago residents can expect to see various elements of the collaboration, including in-person events, virtual on-court signage and pop-ups.
On November 2, Foot Locker’s State Street location in Chicago will host a Bulls celebration featuring player meet-and-greets and live entertainment. Foot Locker will also be the presenting partner for the 2025 Bulls Fest, an annual festival centered on a three-on-three tournament hosted in Chicago. In addition, Foot Locker will produce a co-branded “Tunnel Walk” digital series that will launch across the Bulls’ and Foot Locker’s social media channels. The series will give fans behind-the-scenes access to their favorite players, spotlighting their pre-game fits and game-day prep.
Sports partnerships continue to be a major opportunity for brands and retailers alike, with athletes doubling as the new influencers. In April, women’s pro basketball star Caitlin Clark made history when she became the first basketball player to be dressed by Prada for draft night. According to The Measure, by April, Clark had already generated over $784,000 in earned media value for the brands she had partnered with. In July, fine jewelry brand David Yurman announced a partnership with NBA stars including Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards, D’Angelo Russell of the L.A. Lakers and Jalen Green of the Houston Rockets.
“[Foot Locker’s] consumer overindexes on basketball. Our customers are more likely to play basketball and more likely to be inspired by the fashion of basketball. That’s why it’s important for us to have this deeper connectivity into basketball partnerships,” Waldmann said.
Moving forward, women-centered campaigns through the lens of basketball will be a focus. “We’re ramping up our efforts to story-tell around WNBA stars and to match the level of community investment we’ve done within the men’s game for the women’s game,” she said.
In Foot Locker’s second-quarter 2024 results, released in August, the company reported that total sales increased by 1.9% to $1.9 billion.
