Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. and MSC Cruises have announced a multi-year marketing partnership that will name MSC Cruises as the Official Cruise Line Partner of the New York Knicks. This partnership will create unique opportunities for MSC Cruises to promote its brand during Knicks games at The Garden, including LED signage and virtual on-court signage. MSC Cruises will also serve as the Presenting Partner of the Knicks in-game T-Shirt Toss.
As the Knicks’ first global rights marketing partner, MSC Cruises will work with the organization to create new activations in overseas markets, such as Italy, Germany, England, and Brazil, to continue growing the game of basketball. Together, they will provide unique content and brand promotion.
David Hopkinson, President & COO of Madison Square Garden Sports Corp., said, “MSC Cruises is one of the world’s top-rated contemporary cruise lines with a long history of putting their customers first, a value that MSG Sports lives by every day, making them a fantastic addition to our illustrious group of marketing partners.”
MSC Cruises’ President, Rubén A. Rodríguez, said, “Our partnership with MSG and the New York Knicks is symbolic of our overall commitment to New York City with the upcoming launch of year-round cruises from the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal onboard MSC Meraviglia. At MSC Cruises, we’re focused on improving the communities we serve by supporting families and furthering sustainability efforts. MSG and the Knicks share those priorities, and we’re thrilled to be combining our efforts right here in New York City, as well as throughout the more than 40 countries that make up our global itineraries.”
As part of their sustainability efforts, the Knicks and MSC Cruises will partner on an initiative to donate to an Ocean Conservation Cause for every three-pointer made by the Knicks this season. GardenVision and Knicks Digital Channels will run features about the program and provide updates on the amount donated.
The partnership also includes a Jr. Knicks clinic at the basketball court aboard MSC Meraviglia during her inaugural call at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Participants in the clinic will take part in basketball drills, skills, and training, play games run by the Jr. Knicks coaching staff, and meet with Knicks alumni while receiving branded giveaways from the Knicks and MSC Cruises.
In addition to the partnership with the Knicks, MSC Cruises will also become the Official Cruise Line Partner for the Westchester Knicks and Knicks Gaming, which includes LED signage for all Westchester Knicks home games and virtual on-court signage for all Knicks Gaming home games. MSC Cruises will also be displayed on the digital boards outside of Madison Square Garden, visible to the millions of people who walk by The Garden every day.