By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
Overtime Elite, an exciting new league for younger, pro-level players, has just announced a partnership with Paramount Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob Squarepants.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Paramount’s Nickelodeon to bring this unique collaboration to life in celebration of 25 years of SpongeBob SquarePants,” said Tyler Rutstein, Chief Brand Officer at Overtime. “With custom uniforms for JellyFam, appearances from costumed characters SpongeBob and Patrick, full social media integration, and exclusive merchandise, we’re bringing together the worlds of sports and animation in a unique way.
This is just the beginning of an exciting journey, and we can’t wait for fans to get a piece of the fun.”
Overtime Elite (OTE) is a basketball league for 16–20-year-olds, which is owned and operated by Overtime and founded by Dan Porter and Zack Weiner. Licensing for Overtime is handled by the agency The Brand Liaison.
The league is unique in that it creates opportunities for younger players, some of whom may go on to play professionally, while others may opt to go into collegiate sports.
Overtime launched the league in 2021 for both US and international players, who receive a minimum salary of $100,000 annually, a signing bonus, and shares in Overtime’s larger business. Players can also choose a scholarship option and maintain college eligibility.
Heavily backed by top VC firms and athletes, Overtime can boast that more than six per cent of active NBA players have invested in the company, as it seeks to create opportunities for younger players. Overtime also operates OT7, a similar league for American football.
The league has now announced an exciting new partnership with Paramount’s Nickelodeon and its enduring hit show SpongeBob Squarepants, which remains the most watched animated series in the world after 22 seasons.
“This exciting collaboration will delight fans with a fusion of sports and animation, creating unforgettable experiences both on and off the court through merchandise, activations, and social content,” the league says.
The collaboration is tipping off with the introduction of new, co-branded uniforms for OTE’s New York City-based team, JellyFam, as the OTE Playoffs began in February. Costumed characters SpongeBob and his best pal, Patrick Star, made a special appearance at Overtime’s Atlanta-based OTE Arena, which was wrapped with SpongeBob SquarePants animation, giving fans a 360-degree immersive brand experience.
Bringing their zany energy and humor to the court, the BFF duo celebrated their new basketball partnership with the crowd, generating significant engagement at the electric OTE Arena and across social media, reaching Overtime’s 100 million followers.
Fans will have the opportunity to own a piece of this historic collaboration through co-branded merchandise, launching on shop.overtime.tv in late April. This limited-edition collection of hoodies, shirts, shorts and pajama pants will not only celebrate the partnership between Overtime and SpongeBob SquarePants but will also be worn by Overtime’s athletes and influencers.
“Bringing SpongeBob’s joy and positivity to Overtime’s millions of fans is the perfect way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this incredible animated series that continues to be a worldwide phenomenon,” said Jose Castro, EVP, Consumer Products & Experiences, Paramount. “This limited-edition collection generates some of that classic SpongeBob energy, both on and off the court.”
The new basketball and football leagues launched by Overtime represent a new opportunity for the licensing industry, as this is the first organization of its kind to provide a professional sports experience for younger players. For those interested in licensing opportunities with Overtime, the contacts at the Brand Liaison agency are either Steven Heller or Laurie Smith, available by email at Steven@thebrandliaison.com and Laurie@thebrandliaison.com.