Sprite has expanded its global basketball presence after becoming the official soft drink partner of both the NBL and WNBL.
The partnership will see Sprite courtside across both the men’s and women’s competitions from the 2026/27 season.
While the length and value of the deal remain undisclosed, NBL Group CEO David Stevenson told B&T the sponsorship takes a “multi-year approach”, demonstrating “just how serious Sprite are about the partnership”.
The deal builds on Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ existing ties to Australian basketball. The company previously partnered with both leagues in a three-year deal as their official hydration partner.
Sprite’s latest move also comes as the brand ramps up its presence across global basketball. The Coca-Cola-owned brand recently announced its return to the NBA, alongside a new multi-season partnership with EuroLeague Basketball from the 2026/27 season.
The NBA partnership revives a relationship that ran from 1986 to 2015, including Sprite’s long-running role as title sponsor of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
“Sprite has been part of basketball and the culture surrounding it globally for decades, so this partnership allows us to bring that association home and create a connection between Sprite’s global basketball credentials and the energy of the Australian game, players and of course the fans,” Martyn Ferguson, senior director of marketing for the South Pacific Region at the Coca-Cola Company told B&T.
“Sprite’s global focus on basketball helps bring credibility to our partnership. Its investment in North America, in Europe, and around the world just closely aligns Sprite to basketball, and that credibility is is important for all of our consumers as well,” added Stevenson.
In Australia, Sprite’s partnership will extend across the NBL calendar, including regular season games, the pre-season HoopsFest tournament and the finals series. It will also cover the WNBL and NBL Next Stars, giving the brand a presence across the men’s and women’s game as well as the next generation of players.
Through NBL Next Stars, Sprite will back the brightest next stars using the league as a launchpad to the professional game and, for many, the NBA.
At the centre of the partnership is the dunk, basketball’s most electric moment. Sprite will take ownership of it through The Freshest Dunks, a season-long platform celebrating the best dunks across the NBL and WNBL, on broadcast, in-arena and on social.
Social plays an integral part in the partnership. Stevenson explained that this is because the NBL Group “has seen incredible growth of NBL and WNBL on social media both domestically and internationally.”
A lot of that growth has come around the excitement of key moments,” he said. “So, great plays, including slam dunks or big blocks or steals, and that’s going to be a big focus for Sprite’s content, is to make sure whenever there is an exciting moment, Sprite’s going to be there all the way.”
The Group CEO also explained why Sprite was the right brand for the partnership.
“Sprite brings such great excitement and energy to its consumers, that aligns really with what we’re trying to do in the NBL and WNBL,” he said.
He also touched on the importance of subbing in brands who want to be apart of both competitions.
“Where possible we always try and look for partners who want to support both the NBL and WNBL, because our fans are loving WNBL as much as the NBL. To see Sprite’s commitment to both of those leagues is a really important part of our partnership,” he said.
From the sponsorship WNBL and NBL fans can expect: The Freshest Dunks, the standout dunks of every round; Sprite Dunkuary, a February slam dunk takeover, with fans voting on the freshest dunks of the season; on-pack promotions; giveaways; and courtside hydration running across the life of the partnership.
Sprite will also own the refreshing moments of the women’s game and back the WNBL’s rising profile, amplifying players and standout moments through social and content as the league continues to grow its audience.
This sponsorship builds on Sprite’s broader marketing strategy of trying to take advantage of Australia’s deep rooted sports culture.
Sport has always been part of Aussie culture, as it has Sprite’s identity. We’ve been celebrating great sporting moments alongside our Australian fans for many years, and being able to grow our presence across the sporting calendar especially over summer, and we’re also creating more moments for our drinkers to have fun while drinking Sprite,” concluded Ferguson.
