Spurs, H-E-B team up for 5 more years

Before the Spurs headed home from the NBA Finals in Miami on Friday, forward Kawhi Leonard signed a two-year contract to star in a series of commercial spots for H-E-B with the Big 3: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker.

The locally based grocer has featured Spurs players in television ads for nearly a decade, though Duncan, Parker and Ginobili made their commercial debut three years ago.

Leonard's addition to the commercial lineup capped weeks of negotiations between H-E-B and Spurs Sports & Entertainment that ended in an extension of their long-standing sponsorship agreement.

After Leonard's performance in the Finals, fans and analysts have speculated whether the 21-year-old will help lead the team in years to come.

When Spurs and H-E-B executives announce the deal next week, it will secure H-E-B's place as the main sponsor of the Spurs for the next five years and of the San Antonio Silver Stars in the 2014 season. The agreement also includes a presence with SS&E's other franchises: the San Antonio Rampage and Austin Toros.

Spurs' Tony Parker (with back to camera), Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan film a commerical for HEB Monday Oct. 4, 2010 at the Spurs practice facility. (PHOTO BY EDWARD A. ORNELAS/eaornelas@express-news.net) Spurs' Tony Parker (with back to camera), Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan film a commerical for HEB Monday Oct. 4, 2010 at the Spurs practice facility. (PHOTO BY EDWARD A. ORNELAS/eaornelas@express-news.net) Photo: EDWARD A. ORNELAS, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Photo: EDWARD A. ORNELAS, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close Spurs, H-E-B team up for 5 more years 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

Neither party would disclose the financial details of the deal.

“We didn't really care about the outcome of the Finals,” said Cory Basso, group vice president of marketing and advertising for H-E-B. “In fact, we signed the deal the day after they lost. ... This partnership goes beyond winning or losing.”

He confirmed that H-E-B has considered signing at least one other Spurs player to feature in commercials. While Basso declined to identify the player, he noted that the company has worked with Danny Green and Matt Bonner on community projects.

When H-E-B first became the lead sponsor of the Spurs in 2004, the deal was a Spurs first and one of three such agreements in the NBA. Since then, the practice has grown in popularity, and national and international corporations such as Kaiser Permanente, Kia Motors and State Farm recently have served as presenting sponsors of individual teams, drafts and even NBA games on Christmas Day.

However, the recession cut into how frequently teams can expect long-term sponsorship deals such as H-E-B's, said Jeanne Garza, director of corporate partnerships for SS&E.

“You see a lot more one-year deals than you ever have in the past,” she said. “When the economy changed in (2009), people weren't prepared to make long-term commitments anymore.

“We're starting to see more two- or three-year deals, but five-year contracts are really reserved for the special few.”

The renewed partnership builds off nearly 30 years of the Spurs and H-E-B working together not only as sponsorship partners but as business partners that absorbed new strategies from each other.

Basso said H-E-B learned to “take the emotion out” of sponsorship negotiations in order to guarantee the best return on investment for the company. For three years now, Basso's department has outsourced the sponsor-evaluation process to Haymaker, a sports and event marketing agency based in Dallas.

Additionally, H-E-B has gained access to Spurs' licenses held by the NBA, and it recently introduced Spurs-themed ice cream and wine.

As for SS&E, President of Business Operations Rick Pych said H-E-B taught the organization how to deliver a better product to their customers: the fans. He said the addition of bands, club areas and games enhanced fans' experience, as did the H-E-B-sponsored Fan Zone on the balcony level of the AT&T Center.

The two organizations also have partnered on numerous charitable efforts, including building a basketball court at St. Peter-St. Joseph Children's Home and H-E-B's annual Feast of Sharing during the holidays.

“This partnership is unique,” Pych said. “It's not just a business deal or chance to promote our brand.

“As the only major-league sports team in town and only major retailer in town,” he said, “our organization takes our commitment to the community seriously.”