adidas Rocks Europe with the NBA 5 United Tour

Are you looking to host a premier grassroots basketball tournament? Are you looking for ways to engage the local community?

In 2009, adidas executed a major grassroots basketball campaign called the NBA 5 United Tour that appeared in five (5) major cities across Europe (Athens, Madrid, Rome, Istanbul, London). The tour provided consumers in those cities with the chance to compete in a premier basketball tournament and enjoy a variety of festivities and interactive skills challenges.

  • Athens - Featured 336 teams (2,088 players) at the Olympic Athletic Center of Athens
  • Madrid - Featured 257 teams (1,596 players) in front of the IFEMA Feria De Madrid
  • Rome - Featured 127 teams (779 players) at stadio Flamino
  • Istanbul - Featured 201 teams (1,223 players) at the grounds of Santralistanbul
  • London - Featured 114 teams (696 players) in front of the O2 Meridian Gardens

While adidas served as the presenting sponsor of the tournament, EA Sports, Powerade, and the NBA also invested into the tour and had a notable presence on-site. The tour's activities included daily 5v5 games, a three-point shootout, a slam dunk competition, performances by NBA dance teams, and EA Sports Video Arcade competitions.

adidas supported the campaign with an official Facebook page and an official Twitter page (although neither attracted a significant following).

Check out a few videos below that recap the activation and entertainment that took place on the adidas NBA 5 United Tour:

Athens Recap

Madrid Recap

Rome Recap

Istanbul Recap

London Recap