FULLERTON, Calif. (April 28, 2014) — Yokohama Tire Corp. (YTC) is suspending its sponsorship of the Los Angeles Clippers in the wake of alleged racist comments by Clippers owner Donald Sterling that came to light over the weekend.
“Yokohama Tire Corp. does not tolerate discrimination in any fashion,” said Andrew Briggs director of marketing and product planning.
“The alleged remarks by (Mr.) Sterling are completely unacceptable and we find it necessary to immediately suspend our sponsorship of the organization as a result. We will continue to assess the situation and weigh our options. Meanwhile, we wish to express our continued support to the Clippers players and fans.”
Yokohama signed a two-year sponsorship agreement with the Clippers last November, making Yokohama the "official tire" of the National Basketball Association team.
The agreement extended Yokohama's sports sponsorship program to the NBA for the first time. Its other partnerships include deals with the National Football League's Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots and Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees.
Yokohama's sponsorship included courtside signage at each Clippers home game; pre-, post- and in-game spots on the Clippers' flagship radio station; in-stadium displays on LED boards and in-game announcements on the public address system.
The value of the sponsorship agreement was not disclosed.
