Kumho partners with NBA's Hawks, Hornets

ATLANTA (Nov. 17, 2016) — Kumho Tire USA Inc. has secured partnership deals with the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets making Kumho the official tire of both National Basketball Association teams and the exclusive partner of the Hornets in the tire maker category.

The agreements partner Kumho — which last year relocated its headquarters to Atlanta  — with the two NBA franchises closest to its new home market of Atlanta.

The agreement with the Hawks provides for co-branding through the team's in-arena, television and radio assets as well as the creation of exclusive digital content focused on the Hawks' away-game schedule, featuring game recaps and unique stories around Hawks road trips all season, Kumho said.

The partnership with the Hornets provides Kumho Tire with a portfolio of “value-driven” assets and unique opportunities that will help support its brand development growth and goals.

Kumho also is the official tire of the NBA and NBA Development League and the presenting sponsor of the 2017 NBA Development League All-Star Game.

“The Atlanta Hawks have captured the sports passion of Atlanta and their ability to create deep personal engagement with the fans on the court and off is the gold standard in the league,” said Harry Choi, CEO of Kumho Tire USA. “We are thrilled to align our brands, not only at home games in Philips Arena, but on the road as Kumho Tire will deliver the fans amazing content around the team's travels.”

Andrew Saltzman, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of the Hawks and Philips Arena, called Kumho a “tremendous brand with global reach that also believes in connecting on a local level. Their support of the NBA on a league level and now the Hawks as their hometown team is a fantastic commitment to the sport of basketball, investment in the local business community and being ‘True to Atlanta.'”

Among the assets referred to in the Charlotte deal are signage around the Spectrum Center, the rights to use team logos and marks and hospitality opportunities. The signage includes permanent back-lit signs on two corner board panels and an arena takeover during the fourth quarter of games — which involves a performance-related feature on the center-hung scoreboard and simultaneous branding on the 360 LED boards, scorer's table, basket stanchion LED boards and corner board digital screens.

Kumho's logo will also appear on the scoreboard during fourth quarter replays, and on courtside rotational and basket stanchion signage.

Hornets President and COO Fred Whitfield said, “Much like our organization, Kumho prides itself on performing at a top level and providing a high-quality product. We are excited to add Kumho to our Hornets family.”

This affiliation also gives Kumho Tire access to the Hornets fan base by engaging and interacting with them through a prevalent digital and social media presence, including a six-week sweepstakes campaign on hornets.com. Along with the arena takeover, Kumho-branded content will be posted on and disseminated throughout social channels of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram during the fourth quarter of games.

“Adding the Hornets to our roster of quality teams further amplifies our partnership with the NBA and expands our presence throughout the Southeast, where we are proud to call our home court as our U.S. headquarters is located in this region,” Mr. Choi said.  

“Kumho Tire's passion for the sport of basketball drives our commitment to deliver exceptional brand experiences and unique activations that effectively engage and connect with local communities and loyal fans, whether at home or on the road.”

The Hawks and Hornets compete in the NBA's Eastern Conference/Southeast Division. The Hawks were the 2014-15 Southeast Division Champions and have made the postseason in nine consecutive seasons.

Among the Hornets' owners is legendary NBA player Michael Jordan, who acquired controlling interest in the team in 2010.