Winemaker Kendall-Jackson has reached a deal with the National Basketball Association to become the league’s first official wine partner. It is another signal that the wine industry is making moves to capture consumers who are moving away from drinking beer.
The partnership between KJ and the NBA appears to be more than just promoting a single brand. It is an effort to promote wine as a beverage. The partnership reportedly aims to introduce fans to high-quality wines and “educate them about the stories behind each bottle, emphasizing craftsmanship, sustainable practices, and most importantly, taste”, according to a report in The Drinks Business.
Chris Jackson, the son of Kendall Jackson founder Jess Jackson and Jackson Family Wines Chairman Barbara Banke, works at both KJ and also founded Seismic Brewing Company in Sebastopol, Calif. Seismic Brewing bought Golden State Cider Co. in 2022.
The wine industry may have just the right league to make further inroads into the sports consumer. As reported in The Drinks Business, many major NBA stars have a known passion for wine, including LeBron James, James Harden, and Dwyane Wade. And San Antonio Spurs veteran Tony Parker‘s had a crowdfunding effort for the Rhône winery he bought last year.
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