NBA Investigating Clippers’ Aspiration Sponsorship Deal Amidst Fraud Allegations
The Los Angeles Clippers’ 23-year, $300-million sponsorship deal with the now-bankrupt fintech company Aspiration is under NBA examination, according to sources at ESPN. The league authorized the deal in 2021, a requirement due to the planned inclusion of an Aspiration patch on Clippers jerseys.the NBA requires explicit approval for jersey patch sponsorships due to their high visibility and potential for conflicts with existing league partnerships.
While it remains unclear who within the NBA specifically approved the agreement,Commissioner Adam Silver initially stated he was unfamiliar with Aspiration,later clarifying he knew the brand but not the specifics of the emerging allegations.
The Clippers publicly announced the partnership in September 2021. In April 2022, Aspiration reportedly signed Clippers star Kawhi Leonard to a $28-million marketing deal, a contract that was never publicly disclosed and included an opt-out clause for Leonard. This “no-show” contract did not require league approval,but the NBA is now examining whether it was used to circumvent salary cap rules.
Documents obtained by journalist Pablo Torre reveal a series of payments from the Clippers association, owner Steve Ballmer, and co-owner Dennis Wong to Aspiration. Notably,Ballmer invested $50 million in Aspiration in September 2021,and the team sent $32.4 million to the company on the same day Leonard signed his marketing agreement.
Despite NBA approval, Aspiration patches never appeared on Clippers jerseys. The team claimed to have terminated the partnership the prior season in January 2024,coinciding with reports of a federal investigation into Aspiration for perhaps misleading customers regarding its carbon credits.
Aspiration filed for bankruptcy in March, and co-founder Joseph Sanberg has agreed to plead guilty to defrauding investors of $248 million. The NBA’s investigation is ongoing, focusing on whether the Clippers leveraged the Aspiration deal and Leonard’s contract to gain an unfair competitive advantage.
