NBA Names Team Retailers of the Year

The National Basketball Association has named the Golden State Warriors and the Miami Heat as the 2012-13 season’s Team Retailers of the Year.

This is first time that two teams have received the honor, which recognizes best practices in team merchandise sales and operations.

The Warriors received the award for the first time after a breakout year marked by strategic marketing and diverse product merchandising. Along with retail operator Gameday Merchandising, and in partnership with adidas, the Warriors re-vamped their product marketing and merchandising efforts to capitalize on the team’s popularity and successful season, resulting in record retail sales.

This is the fourth win for the Heat, the most among all NBA teams. On the heels of its second consecutive NBA title, the Heat achieved record-breaking merchandise sales in-arena and expanded its marketing and retail efforts by opening new retail locations throughout the community.

“The Warriors connected with fans through an in-arena retail transformation that captured the on-court excitement of one of the league’s most captivating teams, while the Heat expanded its retail footprint in Miami and capitalized on its star power with successful promotions like White Hot,” says Brian Keegan, vice president of retail marketing and development, NBA.