Rakuten and Golden State Warriors Extend Partnership

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11/12/2021 - 07:00 AM

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 12, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Golden State Warriors and Rakuten Group have extended their agreement that will continue to feature the Rakuten logo on Warriors uniforms, renewing a historic partnership that began in 2017 when the Warriors welcomed Rakuten as the team's first-ever jersey partner. A badge featuring the Rakuten logo will continue to appear on the left front of every Warriors home, away and practice uniforms.

Headquartered in Tokyo with North American operations based in San Mateo, California, Rakuten has market-leading businesses in e-commerce, digital advertising, entertainment and e-books, among many others. Its name is the Japanese word for 'optimism,' which means that Warriors players don a badge of optimism over their hearts.

"Dating back to 2017, we've established an incredible partnership with Rakuten, a collaboration built on the foundation of mutual respect, aligned values and a desire to continue to innovate," said Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer Brandon Schneider. "As a leading technology company, Rakuten understands the evolving trajectory of the sports business industry, and together we will continue to enhance the player and fan experience for Warriors fans around the world."

"The Golden State Warriors exemplify Rakuten's values and those we look for in a partner: innovation, teamwork and a desire to be a positive influence in the community," said Amit Patel, CEO at Rakuten Americas. "We share the Warriors' belief that reaching your goals requires optimism and discipline, and we look forward to supporting the team in its quest for its next NBA championship."

Warriors fans can continue to earn Cash Back from Rakuten on online and instore purchases at Warriors Shop, both in store and online. To take advantage online, fans simply register for a free Rakuten membership and then enter Warriors Shop at rakuten.com/warriors. To earn Cash Back on in-store purchases, Rakuten members must link a credit card through the Rakuten In-Store Cash Back Offers page.

As it did last season, Rakuten is the presenting partner of a season-long campaign tied to Warriors on-court jerseys. This year, the team's Classic Edition uniform, the Warriors Origins jersey, is a modern-era spin on the team's 1961-62 road uniform that the team wore in its 16^thand final season in Philadelphia prior to moving to the West Coast. Warriors Origins celebrates the team's accomplishments in Philadelphia, including the 1947 and 1956 NBA championships and several individual league records that stand to this day—highlighted by Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game on March 2, 1962 vs. the New York Knicks. On three occasions this season, Rakuten will offer fans an exclusive free item from the Warriors Origins x Mitchell & Ness Limited Edition March collection when they enter Warriors Shop online at http://rakuten.com/warriors and make a qualifying purchase of $25 or more.

Rakuten also continues in several other partnership capacities, including as the Warriors' Official E-Commerce Partner, Official Video-On-Demand Partner and Official Affiliate Marketing Partner. In addition, Rakuten Group's global mobile voice messaging service Rakuten Viber remains the Warriors' Official Instant Messaging and Calling App Partner, and Rakuten Kobo is Official E-Reader Partner.

Rakuten and the Warriors plan to resume their collaborations on charitable ventures in the San Francisco Bay Area community, such as the recent basketball court refurbishment at Oakland's McClymonds High School. The Rakuten partnership also includes logo representation in the Warriors traveling party and additional marketing elements, including signage in Chase Center and other digital, social and radio executions.

About the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors, currently playing in their 76th season, are a charter member of the National Basketball Association. Founded in 1946 as the Philadelphia Warriors, the team moved to the West Coast in 1962 and spent nine seasons as the San Francisco Warriors before moving across the Bay to Oakland in 1971 and becoming the Golden State Warriors. In 2019, the Warriors returned to San Francisco to play at Chase Center, a privately financed, state-of-the-art 18,064-seat arena in the Mission Bay neighborhood. The team's storied history includes six NBA Championships, 11 NBA Finals appearances, an NBA-record 73-win season, eight members of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, and 27 members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. For more information on the Golden State Warriors, please visit warriors.com.

About Rakuten
Rakuten Group, Inc. (TSE: 4755) is a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Founded in Tokyo in 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications to approximately 1.5 billion members around the world. The Rakuten Group has over 25,000 employees, and operations in 30 countries and regions. For more information visit https://global.rakuten.com/corp/.

CONTACT:
Carol Lee
carol.lee@rakuten.com