The San Francisco Golden State Warriors and Rakuten on Thursday revealed the extension of their partnership — ahead of next week’s two-night NBA draft to be held at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. As founding partners of the team for nine years, Rakuten was the first Warriors jersey badge before the 2017-18 NBA season.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. As part of the evolution of the partnership, Rakuten will no longer have a patch on the basketball jerseys for the upcoming season.
The Warriors confirmed that Rakuten will remain a founding partner of the team, Chase Center and the Valkyries, the organization’s women’s team. Rakuten will also remain a presenting partner of the game-day player tunnel walk, Rakuten Arrivals. The 2022 extension deal with the Warriors was estimated at $20 million a year for three years.
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Thus far, Rakuten has supported the Bay Area communities with contributions of more than $12 million to support the Golden State Community Foundation’s educational equity and local community initiatives. Rakuten will also remain a presenting sponsor of the Warriors’ Women’s Empowerment efforts and the Rakuten Future Leaders Experience to pair youth from Girls Inc. of Alameda County with executive mentors from both brands. Rakuten members will continue to receive a minimum of 10 percent cash back on purchases at the Golden State Shop alongside access to exclusive merch, fan experiences and limited-edition drops.
In collaboration with local designer and cofounder of “theheyyman,” Mexican-born artist and Bay Area Warriors fan Gustavo Servin, the Warriors and Rakuten will unveil the Warriors Golden Legacy collection.
“The Warriors Golden Legacy Collection represents the rich, long-standing Rakuten-Golden State partnership and its ongoing support for both minority Bay Area designers and creating access to exclusive, custom merchandise for fans of the Warriors,” the Warriors said in a statement.
As a limited series of upcycled merchandise with previous Warrior jerseys with the Rakuten badge, Rakuten will be releasing the collection for fans to win the one-of-a-kind pieces. The pieces are crafted in the U.S. from leather and previous jerseys to honor the shared legacy of both brands. There will only be 58 pieces available — the collection includes two duffel bags, 10 clear purses, one leather jacket, 10 denim jackets and 35 bucket hats. The sweepstakes for a chance to win are open through next Thursday, via warriors.com/rakuten.
In an exclusive interview, Amanda Chin, senior vice president of marketing at the Golden State Warriors, said the mutual benefit for the two brands has been “immense.”
the Warriors Golden Legacy collection. Sophie Kuller
“When we were given the opportunity to add a jersey badge, it was imperative to us that it had to be a true partnership with a company that aligned with our values as an organization,” Chin said. “In the midst of a historic run on and off the court, we found exactly that with Rakuten — while furthering our ability to connect with fans globally in Japan, Asia and Europe. We’ve both benefited from the brand exposure of three NBA Finals appearances and two championships over the last nine years, but we’ve been able to maximize the partnership through their experiential rewards for fans and their long-term investment in our community.”
Wendy Bergh, chief marketing officer of Rakuten Rewards, noted that the opportunity to be the first badge partner for the Warriors became “one of the most successful partnerships in professional sports.” The two have shared values of “community and innovation,” which continue to deepen.
“What began with the jersey badge has grown into something much broader, including community investments, creative platforms with local artists and designers, fan programming and rewarding experiences that have brought our brands to life in really meaningful ways,” explained Bergh. “This next chapter builds on that legacy and goes even deeper into the things that have always mattered most to both organizations.”
Bergh also said the badge was “instrumental” in building brand awareness for Rakuten among U.S. consumers. Moving forward, the Japanese company’s partnership will focus on fan experience, community impact and enhanced membership rewards for the Warriors, Golden State Valkyries and Santa Cruz Warriors, which she said reflects what Rakuten is today and where this partnership is headed.
Chin continued that the two brands decided to create an exclusive, upcycled collection that felt authentic to Bay Area culture and as a “full circle” moment for the partnership. Bergh concurred that the Warriors Golden Legacy collection is a natural expression of what the partnership with the Warriors was about. And the elevation of minority designers is something the two remain committed to.
“The Bay Area is a melting pot of world-class creativity, particularly among minority designers who are driving modern streetwear culture,” she said. “We’ve had tons of success with Rakuten on previous artist collaborations — including our award-winning Empowered campaign with another local artist, Hueman — and it’s a piece of the partnership that we’ve both naturally gravitated toward. Using our platforms to elevate local artists is a natural evolution of our shared focus to reward our fans and uplift the community in unique and meaningful ways.”
Rakuten’s mission is about delivering value to its members, Bergh said. She said the company’s partnership with the Warriors embodies this ethos. Given that sport fandom being one of the most passionate and loyal communities, Rakuten sees the next chapter focusing on its connection with fans.
Looking ahead, Chin said Rakuten has a “proven track record” within the Bay Area community and has become a household name among its fans. She said Rakuten’s long-term investment in the WNBA and the Valkyries has proven to the basketball team that they can count on them to help push forward the legacy and moment women’s basketball is having.
“Empowering our communities remains a cornerstone of the partnership. And on the fan and member side, we’ll keep building on what the Warriors Golden Legacy Collection represents — exclusive collaborations, unique experiences and access that feels genuinely special. We’ve built something meaningful over nine years and this next chapter is about honoring that foundation while continuing to grow and evolve together,” concluded Bergh.
