Media OutReach
NBA and The Coca-Cola Company Announce Multiyear Global Partnership
Sprite Returns as League’s Official Global Soft Drink
NEW YORK, US – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 March 2026 – The National Basketball Association (NBA) and The Coca-Cola Company today announced a new global marketing partnership, bringing Sprite® back as the league’s Official Global Soft Drink Partner.
The agreement marks the return of one of the NBA’s most iconic brand collaborations, reuniting two names that have shared a deep connection to basketball culture for decades. Sprite, the world’s leading lemon-lime soft drink, will serve as the exclusive soft drink partner of the NBA across a global footprint.
The Coca-Cola Company first partnered with the NBA in 1986, and for nearly three decades, Sprite helped shape how basketball connects with fans across sport, music, fashion and self-expression. From the cultural impact of “Obey Your Thirst” in North America, to streetball tournaments in Asia, player-led collaborations in Latin America, and culture-driven activations across Europe and Africa, Sprite’s heritage within basketball culture spans generations and continents. Sprite also served as the title sponsor of the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star from 2003-2016. Together, Sprite and the NBA helped define how brands show up authentically in the culture surrounding the game.
“Sprite has always been a brand that celebrates individuality and self-expression, values that resonate deeply with basketball fans worldwide,” said Kerry Tatlock, EVP Global Marketing Partnerships and Media, NBA. “We’re thrilled to welcome Sprite back to the NBA family and look forward to collaborating together on new ways for fans to experience the game.”
“Basketball is central to the DNA of Sprite,” said Manolo Arroyo, EVP and Global Chief Marketing Officer, The Coca-Cola Company. “Reuniting with the NBA is about co-creating what’s next – experimenting with new fan experiences, exploring emerging formats and meeting the next generation where they are. Basketball is not just a game; it’s a global cultural engine, and Sprite, together with the NBA, will help to fuel the moments and memories that drive it.”
Deepening its commitment to athletes who embody bold originality and individuality, Sprite is continuing to build on its existing relationship with 2026 NBA All-Star Game MVP Anthony Edwards. Edwards represents a new generation of global stars whose influence extends beyond the court, making him a natural partner for Sprite.
“I love that Sprite has always been a brand that pushes you to do things your way,” said Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves Guard. “Being a part of this legendary partnership between Sprite and the NBA is incredible. I’m excited to represent the brand and show the next generation the power of staying true to yourself.”
Under the new agreement, Sprite will activate across NBA’s biggest global stages, including league tentpole moments, as well as international events like NBA Global Games. Through the partnership, fans will see immersive experiences, custom content series on NBA platforms, and exclusive promotions that bring them closer to NBA fandom.
The renewed collaboration builds on recent momentum, including the introduction of co-branded, limited-edition Sprite cans featuring select NBA teams in participating markets – giving fans a new way to celebrate their local fandom and regional pride. Through integrated global marketing campaigns, digital-first storytelling, retail programs and in-market fan experiences, Sprite will connect the energy of basketball directly to ultimate refreshment. The partnership builds on Sprite’s existing relationships with the NBA family, which include team partnerships with 17 NBA teams.
Hashtag: #NBA #Cocacola
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About the NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2025-26 season featured a record 135 international players from a record-tying 43 countries. The NBA’s digital assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.5 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms. NBA Cares, the NBA’s global social impact platform celebrating its 20th year, drives change on issues facing fans and communities in the areas of health and wellness, civic engagement, social justice and inclusion, and sustainability.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Fuze Tea, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at 
www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
GoTyme Bank becomes the first digital bank in the Philippines to enable Apple Pay, expanding secure and seamless digital payments for 10 million customers
MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Media OutReach Newswire – 18 August 2026 – Paymentology, the leading global issuer processor, today announced the successful launch of Apple Pay for GoTyme Bank in the Philippines. Through this launch, GoTyme becomes one of the first issuers in the Philippine market to enable Apple Pay, giving 10 million customers an easy, secure and private way to pay using their Apple devices.
As one of the country’s fastest-growing digital banks, GoTyme continues to accelerate its digital payments strategy by expanding secure, seamless and convenient payment experiences for Filipino consumers. Customers can now securely add their GoTyme debit card to Apple Wallet and make contactless payments in stores, within apps and online wherever Apple Pay is accepted.
Apple Pay uses industry-leading tokenisation technology, meaning card numbers are never stored on devices or shared with merchants. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, with every transaction authenticated through Face ID, Touch ID or a device passcode, providing an additional layer of security while delivering a fast, frictionless checkout experience.
Nate Clark, President and CEO at GoTyme Bank commented: “At GoTyme Bank, we’re constantly looking for ways to make banking simpler, safer and more rewarding for our customers. Bringing Apple Pay to GoTyme Bank customers in the Philippines gives them an easy and secure way to pay wherever they shop while continuing to earn rewards points on all their transactions. This is another step in our commitment to making everyday banking more beautiful and convenient for our customers.
The launch comes as digital payments continue to reshape the Philippine economy. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), digital payments now account for more than half of all retail payment transactions, as consumers increasingly embrace mobile-first banking and contactless payments. Meanwhile, smartphone penetration continues to rise, supporting growing demand for digital wallets and tokenised payment experiences. As digital commerce accelerates, enabling secure mobile payments through services such as Apple Pay is becoming an increasingly important differentiator for financial institutions.
Minh-Ha Truong, Head of Growth, APAC at Paymentology, added: “As a long-standing partner to GoTyme, we’re proud to support another significant milestone in its growth journey. Bringing Apple Pay to market demonstrates how modern, cloud-native issuer processing enables digital banks to rapidly deliver innovative payment experiences while maintaining the highest standards of security, scalability and performance. Together, we’re helping shape the future of digital payments in the Philippines.”
The launch further strengthens GoTyme’s position as one of Southeast Asia’s leading digital banks and highlights the value of Paymentology’s cloud-native issuer processing platform in helping banks and fintechs rapidly introduce innovative payment capabilities that meet evolving customer expectations.
Hashtag: #Paymentology
https://www.paymentology.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/paymentology/
https://x.com/Paymentology
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Media OutReach
New Documentary Under the Hakka Liugdui Sun From Discovery to Debut on August 20 in Southeast Asia
Set against the sun-drenched landscapes of southern Taiwan, Under the Hakka Liugdui Sun highlights how the people of Liugdui have thrived alongside the land for over 300 years. Following local scholars, farmers, and artisans, the documentary explores how this community adapts its deep-rooted traditions—from water stewardship to food heritage—in response to environmental and economic change, offering vital modern insights on sustainability, rural revitalization, and cultural continuity.
Across three episodes—Water, agriculture, and food—the documentary explores how the people of Liugdui blend tradition with modern innovation. Viewers meet groundwater experts, farmers pioneering sustainable crops, and artisans repurposing local materials like betel nut, alongside culinary practitioners who preserve Hakka identity through ancestral rituals, communal feasts, and family traditions that unite generations.
Audiences will discover a community that views tradition not as something fixed in the past, but as a living legacy that continues to evolve. From innovative groundwater management and botanical dyeing to ritual feasts and modern interpretations of Hakka cuisine – the documentary celebrates the creativity, resilience, and values that have sustained Liugdui for centuries.
Under the Hakka Liugdui Sun premieres in Southeast Asia on Discovery Channel, Thursday, August 20 at 7:10pm; TLC Channel, Monday, August 24 at 7:10pm; and Discovery Asia, Tuesday, August 25 at 9:25pm.
Hashtag: #Discovery
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Discovery Channel
The launch press conference broke away from tradition with a vibrant runway show featuring celebrity “Hot Spring Travel Navigators,” including acclaimed chef Edward Lee from Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars, visual identity creative director Yen Po-Chun, TSUTAYA BOOKSTORE Taiwan Chairman Kazuma Otsuka, and actor-host Andrew Chau. Together with local businesses, they showcased regional agriculture, specialties, and lifestyle products.
The official launch celebration kicks off on September 4 at Guguan Park in Taichung, featuring a themed parade with over 500 participants and the lighting ceremony for the Lishan–Guguan Light Art Festival, which stars a massive eight-meter “OhBear” light installation. The festivities continue on September 5 with a guided tribal trekking tour in Guguan, offering participants an exclusive NT$500 accommodation discount.
To promote four-season wellness tourism globally, the campaign partners with the East Asia Hot Spring Association for an international symposium on September 4. Key promotions also include complimentary LINE POINTS for new followers, curated packages starting at NT$299, and a flash sale of 800 limited NT$1 Hot Spring Vouchers for the Double 11 Shopping Festival. Furthermore, cross-sector collaborations offer half-price entry to national forest areas, limited-edition Taiwan Railway bento boxes, and Guanziling mud spring skincare products to enrich the travel experience.Hashtag: #TaiwanFourSeasonSprings
https://www.trimt-nsa.gov.tw/zh-tw/
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
