Marvel Teams Up with NBA for Clothing Line

In an interesting marketing move the NBA is teaming up with Marvel Comics to produce a line of clothing that will be sold in NBA cities across the United States. The clothing line will pair NBA teams with Marvel superheros and will include T-shirts, caps, and sweatshirts.

Pairings will play off of colors, locations, and attitudes of both NBA teams and comic book heroes and will include match ups like the Incredible Hulk with the Boston Celtics, and Spiderman with the New York Knicks. Howard the Duck, unfortunately, is still not spoken for.

The clothes and accessories will make their debut at the NBA all-star game later this month and eventually will be available online and in sporting goods stores across the country.

The move seems beneficial to both parties, who don’t necessarily share an audience. Kids who love comic books but have limited interest in the NBA might become more interested if their favorite superhero is suddenly branded alongside an NBA team. Likewise, someone who loves their team but has limited to no interest in comic books might go out and pick up some Marvel branded merchandise if it supports their team. This won’t even really be limited to the NBA branded gear. Think about it – I’m sure the sale of the already popular ‘Hulk Hands’ will go through the roof among Celtics fans once it becomes clear that supporting the Hulk means supporting the team.

This isn’t the NBA’s first

Lisa Piken, senior director of appareling for the NBA, was quoted in the Associated Press saying that the idea “gears toward children and young kids, and we like that as well, particularly the teamwork and having superpowers (and) we can tie that back to how our players are.”