Eli Lilly has a Fever, and the only prescription is a new corporate partnership.
The Big Pharma and the Indiana Fever announced a collaboration this week that’ll put Lilly’s name on the WNBA team’s jerseys. Patches with the official Eli Lilly logo will be placed on the upper left chest of the uniforms, as seen in the team’s Instagram post unveiling the partnership and welcoming Lilly to “the Fever family.”
The Lilly logo joins those of Salesforce and Nike elsewhere on the Fever players’ jerseys.
In addition to serving as a patch sponsor to the team, Lilly has also signed on as the Indiana Fever’s health equity partner. The duo said they’ll be working together to “close gaps on health outcomes” throughout Indiana. Lilly is already both an official partner and the health equity partner to the NBA’s Indiana Pacers.
In response to an emailed request for more information about the Fever partnership, a Lilly spokesperson told Fierce Pharma Marketing that it “provides Lilly with another opportunity to raise awareness about the challenges that individuals face while managing their health.” Additionally, beyond putting its name on the team’s jerseys, Lilly will also host theme nights and activations throughout the Fever’s upcoming season.
“Improving health equity in our home state of Indiana is something the Fever and Lilly both care deeply about, and we are thrilled to partner with the Fever at this exciting moment in women’s sports,” David Ricks, Lilly’s chair and CEO, said in the announcement. “We know that great teams work hard to get better and achieve a common goal. Together with the Fever, we at Lilly look forward to bringing greater awareness and achieving better health outcomes for our fellow Hoosiers. That would be a win for everyone.”
Lilly’s team-up with the Fever comes shortly before the team’s preseason kicks off with a game against the Dallas Wings on Friday; the regular WNBA season will begin May 14, when the Fever will face off against the Connecticut Sun.
The Fever is a savvy choice of partner for Lilly: Not only is it the Indianapolis-based drugmaker’s hometown team, but it’s also expected to draw potentially record-breaking numbers of viewers this season thanks to the recent addition of No. 1 draft pick Caitlin Clark. Since adding her to the roster, the Fever has reportedly seen its ticket sales skyrocket 13 times higher than usual, and the team is also slated to lead the WNBA in the number of its games broadcast on national TV.
“The excitement around the Fever and women’s basketball means more opportunities for the Fever and partners like Lilly to shine a light on important issues like support for girls in sports and the need for improving health in Indiana communities,” said Rick Fuson, CEO of the Fever’s parent company, Pacers Sports & Entertainment. “Lilly, like the game of basketball, is both distinctly Hoosier and truly global, and I am grateful to them for their ongoing partnership.”