MSC Cruises, one of the biggest cruise companies in the world, was named the official cruise line partner of the New York Knicks, the National Basketball Association (NBA) team.
MSC Cruises will benefit from major brand promotion throughout all Knicks games at The Garden thanks to the collaboration, which also includes LED Signage and virtual on-court signage. Additionally, MSC Cruises will act as the game’s Presenting Sponsor for the Knicks T-Shirt Toss.
The company will collaborate with MSC Cruises to develop new activations in international markets, which may include Italy, Germany, England, and Brazil, as the Knicks’ first global rights marketing partner. Together, they will produce original content and brand marketing to support the growth of basketball.
David Hopkinson, President & COO, Madison Square Garden Sports Corp, said, “MSC Cruises is one of the world’s top-rated contemporary cruise lines with a long history of putting their customers first, a value that MSG Sports lives by every day, making them a fantastic addition to our illustrious group of marketing partners. This partnership will also make MSC Cruises our first-ever global rights marketing partner. MSC Cruises will be involved within the Knicks organization across digital channels and fan activations and will provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences for our incredible Jr. Knicks program.”
Rubén A. RodrÃguez, President, MSC Cruises USA, commented, “Our partnership with MSG and the New York Knicks is symbolic of our overall commitment to New York City with the upcoming launch of year-round cruises from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal on board MSC Meraviglia. At MSC Cruises, we’re focused on improving the communities we serve by supporting families and furthering sustainability efforts. MSG and the Knicks share those priorities, and we’re thrilled to be combining our efforts right here in New York City, as well as throughout the more than 40 countries that make up our global itineraries.”
For every three-pointer the team makes this season, MSC Cruises and the Knicks will collaborate on a sustainability project that will donate $1 to an ocean conservation cause. The programme will be featured on GardenVision and Knicks Digital Channels throughout the year, and they will also provide updates on the total money donated up to that moment.
The Jr. Knicks clinic will take place at the basketball court on the MSC Meraviglia during the ship’s maiden call at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal this April. Basketball skills instruction, drills, and games are all part of the clinic, which is administered by the Jr. Knicks coaching staff. The Knicks and MSC Cruises will provide participants with branded prizes and the chance to interact with Knicks veterans.
Along with the Knicks, MSC Cruises will also support the Westchester Knicks and Knicks Gaming as the official cruise line partner, providing LED advertising for all Westchester Knicks home games and virtual on-court signage for all Knicks Gaming home matches. The digital screens outside of Madison Square Garden, which are accessible to the millions of people who pass by The Garden every day, will also feature MSC Cruises.