01 Oct 2017
Tags: Marriott International
Shanghai, China – 29 September 2017 - Marriott International (NASDAQ: MAR) today announced money-can't-buy experiences at NBA Global Games 2017 that are exclusively for its loyalty program members and available to bid the experience using their points through Marriott Rewards Moments and SPG Moments. Members of Marriott Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards programs have an unrivalled chance to participate in various events during the games and access premium seats tickets to the Shenzhen and Shanghai pre-season games.
Of the two teams that are participating in this year's NBA Global Games, the Golden State Warriors is returning for the third time to China, having previously visited during the 2008 and 2013 pre-season matches. For the first time, Kevin Durant will be playing as a part of the Warriors, along with Stephen Curry, the unanimous winner of the 2016 MVP; Klay Thompson, a three-time NBA All-Stars member; and Draymond Green, a two-time NBA All-Stars member. Visiting China for the first time, Timberwolves is bringing two Rookies of the Year—Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins—along with Jimmy Butler, a three-time NBA All-Stars member. These emerging talents and superstars will be sure to excite the Chinese fans with show-stopping on-court action. The tickets for public sale have long sold out. However, Marriott Rewards, SPG and Ritz-Carlton Rewards members can now bid the hottest tickets with access to money-cannot-buy exclusive experiences simply by redeeming their points—a privilege that is only for Marriott International's loyal members.
Marriott Rewards, SPG and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards members can easily use their points to bid for NBA China Games tickets and member exclusive experiences simply by logging into the Marriott Rewards Moments and SPG Moments websites.
- Cheer for your favorite team in Shenzhen
Cheering for the Golden State Warriors or the Minnesota Timberwolves, members can now bid the tickets to NBA Shenzhen Game which will be held at the Shenzhen Universiade Center on Thursday, October 5 (game starts at 1:30 P.M.). - Meet NBA stars in Shanghai
Alternatively, members can also redeem their points to bid for the NBA Shanghai Game, which will be held at Mercedes-Benz Arena on Sunday, October 8 (game starts at 7:00 P.M.). Members get more in Shanghai, a limited number of members will have an exclusive opportunity to engage with surprise NBA legends and stars at the Meet & Greet Reception. - Marriott Rewards Shooting Challenge ！Show off your basketball skill on NBA Court.
From September 26th to 30th, NBA fans can follow the Marriott Rewards WeChat account and participate in the 360°NBA-themed suite campaign to get a chance to win exclusive experiences such as tickets to NBA China Games, Meet & Greet Reception with NBA Legends, NBA Fan Day, and Marriott Gift Cards. As part of the grand prizes, two lucky winners that win tickets to NBA China Games will have a truly unforgettable opportunity to go on the NBA basketball court and participate at the Marriott Rewards Shooting Challenge during quarter time of the game.
“We are proud of our partnership with the NBA and providing basketball fans in China with one-of-a-kind experiences that are only made available for our loyal members,” said Irene Lin, Vice President, Digital, Loyalty and Portfolio Marketing, Asia Pacific, Marriott International. “It shows our commitment to engage with our most loyal guests, whose aspirations are shifting more and more into those which unlock unique moments during the travels.”
Marriott's global partnership with the NBA began in 2015. To date, thousands of loyalty members have been hosted at NBA events across the globe. This year, Marriott International is continuing its partnership with NBA for the third year to serve as the official sponsor of several marquee events, including the NBA China Games 2017, the NBA Mexico City Games 2017, the NBA London Game 2018, and the NBA All-Star Game 2018 in Los Angeles. Marriott International has a long history of delivering travel experiences powered by the strongest lineup of prestigious partners including sports, music and culinary. Marriott International now has more than 100 million members in its three award-winning loyalty programs and this number is continuing to grow as travelers are exploring the Marriott portfolio of brands and member exclusive experiences. The company will go from strength to strength as it continues to invest in valuable partnerships with worldwide brands through which it can offer even more unique and memorable experiences to its loyal members.
“We are thrilled by the growing our fanbase in China and are committed to bringing more live NBA games and events to this part of the world,” said David Wang, Senior Vice President NBA China. “It is also enriching for our players to travel to China, experience the culture and interact with the passionate people as they visit the local community.”
Marriott Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest, and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards are free to join. Existing members can link their accounts and benefit from membership status match and points transfer. Follow Marriott Rewards and SPG WeChat accounts for the latest news and updates on all the exclusive experiences, member benefits and special offers at over 6,000+ hotels across a diverse portfolio of 30 brands.
To find out more about the NBA Global Games 2017, please visit http://china.nba.com.
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About Marriott Rewards
Marriott International's award-winning loyalty program – Marriott Rewards – spans 18 unique and iconic global brands and over 4,300 distinctive properties. Members of Marriott Rewards® - which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® - can link their accounts with Starwood Preferred Guest® at members.marriott.com for expanded benefits including instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer across portfolios. When members book their stays on Marriott.com or the Marriott Mobile app, they earn loyalty points, enjoy the advantage of exclusive Member Rates, our lowest available rates, and gain an elevated stay experience with free Wi-Fi, mobile check-in and checkout, and Mobile Service Requests wherever available. The hugely popular Marriott Rewards has won the Freddie Award for “Hotel Program of the Year–Americas” nine consecutive years as chosen by frequent travelers. Marriott Rewards is free to join and has no blackout dates. To enroll and for more information about the program, guests may visit. Connect with Marriott Rewards on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Starwood Preferred Guest
Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG®) is an innovative, award-winning frequent traveler program that unites 11 luxury and distinctive hotel brands in more than 1,300 properties in 95 countries and territories around the world. SPG reinvented the hospitality loyalty landscape when it launched in 1999 with its breakthrough policy of no blackout dates, and over the years has continued its tradition of innovation with enhancements such as Cash + Points, Your24™, SPG Lifetime™, SPG Moments and 4 p.m. late checkout when available. SPG also offers the opportunity for meeting and travel professionals to earn rich rewards including Starpoints and elite status through SPG Pro. SPG has an ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of today's connected global traveler by leveraging must-have mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android that utilize state-aware technology to create a more personalized hotel stay. All of this has helped SPG build a passionate member base among the world's most frequent travelers. Learn more about the #spglife at spg.com, spg.com/pro and spg.com/moments and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SPG members can now also link their accounts with Marriott Rewards® - which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® - for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer at spg.com/Marriott.
About Ritz-Carlton Rewards
The Ritz-Carlton Rewards is the loyalty program of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., which currently operates over 90 hotels and resorts in 31 countries and territories. Members can earn and redeem points at participating The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott International properties worldwide. Members of Marriott Rewards® - which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® - can link their accounts with Starwood Preferred Guest® at members.marriott.com for expanded benefits including instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer across portfolios. For more information, or reservations, visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR).
About the NBA
The NBA is a global sports and media business built around three professional sports leagues: the National Basketball Association, the Women's National Basketball Association and the NBA G League. The league has established a major international presence with games and programming in 215 countries and territories in 49 languages, and NBA merchandise for sale in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on 6 continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2016-17 season featured a record 113 international players from 41 countries and territories. NBA Digital's assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA App and NBA LEAGUE PASS. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 1.3 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.
Media Contact
Jane Cai
Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, APAC, Marriott International
(852) 6650 8611
Alethea Lam
Vice President, Communications APAC, Marriott International
11/F Cityplaza One, 1111 King's Road
Taikoo Shing, Hong Kong
(852) 2192 6000
