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Is Hennessy the official drink of the NBA?

When we talk about partnerships in the NBA, a lot of companies have deals with the world’s largest basketball association. In the past few years the NBA has struck various partnerships including spirits companies.

Is Hennessy the official drink of the NBA? Hennessy, famous french cognac distiller, has struck a partnership deal with the NBA in February, 2020 and since then has become the official drink of the league. This is Hennessy’s first ever partnership with an American league.

We take a look at the partnership of Hennessy with the NBA and investigate how the two became partners.

Briefly About Hennessy and NBA

The history of Hennessy cognac begins in 1765. By the will of fate, the founder of the world famous cognac house was Richard Hennessy, an Irishman by birth, a mercenary who served in the army of Louis XV and also a Jacobite.

Since all Irish people are quite stormy and love to fight, Hennessy simply had to acquire military glory in the ranks of the French army, get wounded and go to a hospital. This significant event took place in 1775.

The world leader in the production of premium spirits, Hennessy and its unique cognac began conquering new territories at the end of the 18th century from the United States. Now, the relationship between French cognac and the United States was taken to exciting new levels when it was announced that Hennessy was the National Basketball Association’s (NBA’s) first global partner in spirits.  

This combination of spirits, craftsmanship and sporting prowess will be embodied in the joint events between Hennessy and the NBA team, featured on the historic Cognac House and its Instagram account. Hennessy, the world’s best-selling cognac, and the NBA) have announced a global expansion of their partnership, making Hennessy the “Official Alcoholic Beverage of the NBA” worldwide. The multi-year agreement was announced in February 2020. It was indeed a pivotal moment in the NBA.

What Will Hennessy Do?

As an official global partner of the NBA, Hennessy will promote its new sports partnership with a new version of the Lines ad created from Droga5 for the initial partnership with the NBA last year. The video, voiced by the brand’s partner and music legend Nas, sings those who push the game forward and raise a game cup that goes forever beyond the limits. The black-and-white boundaries of a basketball court move, merge and transform as Nas reads a poetic text presenting the nature of the NBA and its powerful influence as a cultural force in perspective. are designed to limit the action. But unlike other sports leagues, the NBA affects all corners of society. 

NBA is Rapidly Growing

The NBA is growing and spreading and influencing culture in ways that no one can have foreseen. NBA players run record companies. They have become fashion icons, striving to transform the education system. They simply will not be satisfied with being “just athletes”. Like the NBA’s spirits, Hennessy celebrates those who push the game forward and raises a glass of play that expands forever. 

The partnership and video cover African countries, the Asia-Pacific region, Europe and South America. Fans around the world will be able to raise toasts, enjoy themselves and have fun with the new exclusive Hennessy VS and VSOP Limited Edition bottles, specially created in honour of the partnership. The bottles are limited edition and now available in the US, and the start of their worldwide sales will go ahead. Throughout the period Hennessy will sing the traditions of the brand and the thinking of basketball fans around the world through a number of consumer events, activations and localized content on social media.

Hennessy Will Bring More Diversity

As we all know, the NBA is not only about sports and basketball – there is diversity, support, unity inside the league and having partnership deals with different companies only facilitate these activities. Partnership with Hennessy, one of the largest brands in the world, is aimed at representing more communities, supporting a game, culture and entertainment. 

Hennessy in this regard is a perfect opportunity to inspire people. The company itself shares core values, respect and creates numerous innovations. 

Mixed Reactions

When the deal was first announced, various players in the NBA had mixed feelings about the following partnership. While it was mostly met with joy, some athletes expressed their opinions. One of them was JR Smith. The former basketball player and 2 time champion of the NBA said that his attributed love for Hennessy cognac was not true.

Smith was once captured drinking Hennessy from a bottle. Taking into account the basketball player’s habits and his love of nightclubs, the nickname “Henny God” gradually stuck to him.

When a photo with him drinking Hennessy circulated on the Internet, Smith denied all the claims. The photo that everyone is talking about, where he is with Hennessy – there is a bottle of champagne, Smith admitted himself. According to the player, he has no idea where the story came from.

Will the Partnership Continue for a Long Time?

The NBA normally has long-term partnerships with large companies. When we talk about Hennessy, the brand which is famous all over the world, we should anticipate that the partnership will last for several years. At the same time, it is beneficial for both of them. Hennessy helps the NBA to attract the attention of more people and promote diversity.

In addition, it is expected that in the future, the NBA will increase the number of its partners. Despite current challenges and the coronavirus pandemic, the interest in the NBA has not diminished.