The sports world just witnessed a first: Visit Rwanda has signed multi-year sponsorship deals with both the LA Clippers and LA Rams, making it the first African nation to partner with franchises in the NBA and NFL simultaneously.
Visit Rwanda takes over as the Clippers’ exclusive jersey patch sponsor, meaning their logo will be stitched onto every jersey this season. If you’re watching Kawhi Leonard or James Harden ball out, you’ll see “Visit Rwanda” front and center.
The deal extends beyond the court. They are also the official sponsor of the brand-new Intuit Dome in Inglewood and will be serving up Rwandan coffee to fans at the arena. Jersey patch deals in the NBA typically run into eight figures annually, making this a serious investment.
On the football side, Visit Rwanda becomes the Rams’ official tourism partner with major visibility at SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park. While NFL regulations don’t allow jersey patches, expect to see Visit Rwanda branding prominently displayed across premium club areas, digital boards, and throughout the stadium complex on game days. With the Rams pulling millions of viewers per game, that’s massive exposure.
This isn’t Rwanda’s first rodeo in sports marketing. Since 2018, they’ve been stamping “Visit Rwanda” on some of Europe’s biggest football clubs: Arsenal, PSG, AC Milan, and Bayern Munich. The strategy has paid off: tourism revenue jumped from $445 million in 2018 to a projected $650 million-plus in 2024.
Now they’re cracking the American market, betting that NBA and NFL fans will want to experience gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, luxury safaris, and Kigali’s emerging scene.
Interestingly, Rams owner Stan Kroenke also owns Arsenal FC, which has been partnered with Visit Rwanda since 2018, so he knows the playbook. For Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, this adds international flavor as they christen their state-of-the-art Intuit Dome.
“This engagement enables us to export Rwanda’s unrivalled natural beauty and extraordinary biodiversity to the people of Los Angeles as well as NBA and NFL fans everywhere,” said Jean-Guy Afrika, Rwanda Development Board CEO in a statement
As the NBA season tips off and the NFL grinds through its schedule, millions of fans will see Rwanda’s name game after game. In the world of sports sponsorships, this is a bold, cross-continental move that could change how nations utilize athletics to put themselves on the map. The jerseys hit the court and field soon, and Rwanda’s already scored.
