STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Look out 2021. Today JBL welcomes new talent to its growing roster of NBA players and teams. Continuing to cultivate the brand’s long-standing relationship with basketball, JBL has identified players who bring the most to their game – every day – to create dynamic partnerships that elevate the consumer experience by intersecting sports, music, culture and gaming.
Candace Parker, one of the most decorated basketball players of all time, joins Team JBL as the brand’s first ambassador from the WNBA, alongside LA Clippers guard Luke Kennard. Continuing to align itself with the brightest players and teams from the biggest cities, JBL has signed a new team partnership with Kennard’s LA Clippers to add to its team deals with the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Miami HEAT.
Suiting up once again as JBL ambassadors are two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami HEAT power center forward Bam Adebayo, Kemba Walker, point guard for the Boston Celtics and Julius Randle, who currently leads the New York Knicks in points, assists and rebounds. As part of #TeamJBL, Antetokounmpo, Adebayo, Walker, Parker and other ambassadors will be featured in JBL’s Sonic Stories, a video series in which they will share their biggest influences and explore how sound amplifies life’s most important moments – on and off the court.
“For years, JBL has fostered its relationship with the sport of basketball. Our dynamic partnerships embody the heart of the brand and marry the elements that drive today’s culture,” said Ralph Santana, Chief Marketing Officer of HARMAN. “Moving into 2021, our growing ambassador program and team partners will continue to serve as a unique platform to connect fans to music through the power of sport. To continue our program’s growth, we are overjoyed to welcome Candace Parker as our first female ambassador.”
Parker hopes her role on Team JBL will help empower young athletes to reach their individual potential.
“As a female athlete in a male-dominated industry, I’ve faced many challenges along the way,” Parker said. “What always kept me going was focus, dedication and determination, and connecting with what fuels my performance, like music. I’m excited to work with JBL, a brand that has always empowered disrupters, changemakers, leaders and the underdogs, to show the next generation how music and sound can inspire them to achieve their goals.”
As the newest addition to the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, Parker inspires young athletes through an outstanding list of achievements, including two WNBA MVP Awards, the 2013 WNBA All-Star Game MVP Award, 2020 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and two Olympic gold with Team USA. Off the court, she is a rising broadcast star.
The athletes and teams part of today’s announcement join a star-studded roster of JBL brand ambassadors and partners from music to sports and entertainment, including the most-nominated musician and producer in GRAMMYs history, Quincy Jones; pop and R&B singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha; Indian music mogul, A.R. Rahman; and global pianist and philanthropist, Lang Lang. In addition to these partnerships, JBL is the official sound partner of The Recording Academy and the official headset provider for gaming organization, 100 Thieves.
ABOUT JBL
JBL creates the amazing sound that shapes life’s most epic moments. From iconic events like Woodstock and concerts at Madison Square Garden, to games at Yankee Stadium and weekend road trips, JBL elevates listeners’ experiences with award-winning audio that lets them make the most of every moment. With 75 years of unmatched professional credentials and industry leading innovation, JBL has expertly blended a bold vision of the future with the passion and talent of engineers and designers around the globe. JBL’s Signature Professional Sound is the leading technology that powers major pop culture events, and the brand has partnered with the world’s top talent across music, sports and esports.
ABOUT HARMAN
HARMAN International (harman.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co, LTD., designs and engineers connected products and solutions for automakers, consumers, and enterprises worldwide, including connected car systems, audio and visual products, enterprise automation solutions; and services supporting the Internet of Things. With leading brands including AKG®, Harman Kardon®, Infinity®, JBL®, Lexicon®, Mark Levinson® and Revel®, HARMAN is admired by audiophiles, musicians and the entertainment venues where they perform around the world. More than 25 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and connected car systems. Our software services power billions of mobile devices and systems that are connected, integrated and secure across all platforms, from work and home to car and mobile. HARMAN has a workforce of approximately 30,000 people across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Contacts
For more information:
HARMAN
Denise Daly
denise.daly@harman.com
