Sponsored By

Wingstop partners as official chicken sponsor of the NBAWingstop partners as official chicken sponsor of the NBA

The deal is the chicken chain’s first agreement with a pro sports league

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

October 24, 2024

1 Min Read
Wingstop exterior
Wingstop signs deal to be the official chicken partner of the NBA.Wingstop Inc.

Wingstop Inc. and the National Basketball Association have signed a deal to make the brand the official chicken partner of the NBA, the groups said Thursday. The agreement marked Wingstop’s first official partnership with a major U.S. professional sports league.

As Dallas-based Wingstop continues to grow its footprint with more than 2,350 restaurants, the brand plans to extend its virtual presence and physical signage to  televised NBA broadcasts with the new deal, which also includes the NBA’s minor league, the NBA G league.

“Our fans love watching NBA while enjoying our cooked-to-order wings, hand sauced-and-tossed in our bold flavors,” Michael Skipworth, Wingstop’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “This partnership is another demonstration of Wingstop being in a category-of-one, claiming our spot as the official chicken and official wing partner of the NBA.”

As part of the deal, Wingstop will have a presence at the NBA All-Star game, beginning with the 2025 All-Star Game in the San Francisco Bay Area. Wingstop will be a presenting partner at the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Green Carpet, which showcases celebrity arrivals at the annual exhibition game and will be on Friday, Feb. 14, at Oakland Arena.

“Wingstop is an industry leader that has established itself as a mainstay in the gameday routines of many of our fans,” Julie Morris, NBA senior vice president of commercial development and media, said in a statement.

Related:Wingstop teases Paris debut with Olympics pop-up

The partnership builds on Wingstop’s existing relationships with NBA teams, including the Chicago Bulls, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and New York Knicks.

Wingstop, founded in 1994, has more than 2,350 locations worldwide.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected]

Follow him on X/Twitter: @RonRuggless

Read more about:

Wingstop

About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

Subscribe Nation's Restaurant News Newsletters
Get the latest breaking news in the industry, analysis, research, recipes, consumer trends, the latest products and more.