Dallas Mavericks enter partnership with Dallas Wings, sign jersey sponsorship deal

The Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Wings held a joint press conference on Sunday afternoon from the College Park Center in Arlington, announcing a historic jersey sponsorship deal. For the first time, a WNBA team will display an NBA team’s logo on their uniforms; the Wings will brandish the classic “horse head” logo.

“Never before have an NBA and WNBA team under different ownership groups collaborated to this extent and to this level,” Wings’ President Greg Bibb said of the deal. While the NBA has a long history of financially supporting the WNBA, this is the first time that a franchise has entered into a jersey sponsorship agreement with their WNBA counterpart.

The partnership is being carried out through Girl Empowered Mavericks (GEM), an initiative started by the Mavericks organization in 2021 that promotes girls athletics at the local level. GEM “aims to engage, inspire and empower young females (9-14) using physical activity as a backdrop for their continued development and success.” These efforts include basketball camps, education initiatives, and financial literacy classes. The GEM logo will also be displayed on the Wings’ jerseys.

Mavericks CEO Cynthia Marshall expressed excitement about the partnership, highlighting the organization’s eagerness to “further the empowerment of young girls in North Texas.” Marshall is confident that GEM is a crucial tool for doing just that and views “participants as the talent pool to represent future women in sports, business and other careers.” Bringing awareness and growing GEM will go deeper than just the jersey patch. Dallas Wings players and staff will also be integrated into the program, partnering with the Mavericks to reach more girls in the community.

The Wings debuted their new jersey additions in yesterday’s 104-96 home loss to the Chicago Sky. The sponsorship is a multi-year agreement, so the jersey patches will be prominently displayed for the foreseeable future. As the Wings look to secure playoff position and build toward championship contention, this deal should help grow the Dallas basketball community. “The power of sports is unquestioned. And the responsibility we have as stewards of the game and as community stakeholders is undeniable,” Bibb told reporters, underscoring this very idea. Bibb concluded his comments at the press conference by proclaiming“Together, our partnership is nearly limitless.”