DoorDash announced Monday a multiyear marketing partnership with the National Basketball Association that sees the meal delivery service named the “official on-demand delivery platform of the NBA, WNBA, and NBA 2K League. The partnership will be front-and-center starting today with the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
DoorDash will also serve as the presenting partner of the NBA 2K League Playoffs and Finals, and will take part in in-game activations highlighting “special moments and relevant experiences.” The 2020 NBA 2K League Playoffs delivered by DoorDash will take place Aug. 20 – 22, with the Finals scheduled for Aug. 29. The NBA 2K League Finals Playoffs and Finals will air live on the league’s Twitch channel. while select matches will air live on ESPN’s digital platforms and the league’s YouTube channel. ESPN2 will also air games live Aug. 21 and Aug. 22.
DoorDash also announced #PlayItForward Challenge, a social media campaign and funding drive to support Black-owned businesses. The company will donate $1 USD up to $100K to the National Urban League for every order placed from a Black-owned restaurant until the end of August, and will also offer $0 delivery fees from all merchant partners in DoorDash’s program to support Black-owned businesses to the end of 2020.
This is not the first time a meal delivery service has partnered to sponsor esport. In October GrubHub teamed up with ESL to sponsor the esports organizer’s ESL Collegiate Fall Invitational.
