SportsBusiness Journal featured a great piece this week on the New Jersey Nets' ability to sell a postseason team sponsorship to T-Mobile, DESPITE MISSING THE PLAYOFFS. Brett Yormark, President and CEO of Nets Sports & Entertainment, orchestrated the deal, which provides a variety of postseason events for Nets season ticket holders (the deal is figured to be in the six-figure range and runs from April 21st through May 15th).

T-Mobile sponsored season ticket holder benefits include:

• Lunch with the Nets dancers
• Porsche driving school event
• Playoff viewing party with Nets players and coach Lawrence Frank
• 3-on-3 basketball tournament at the Nets training facility

The postseason partnership directly parlays into T-Mobile's "Stay Connected" motto and provides the company with a chance to have a presence in the #1 media market in the U.S. T-Mobile will receive brand exposure on all Nets events and communications, and the company will have a heavy presence on the team’s Web site during the contracted period.

Has your organization/brand considered a postseason partnership? This may be something to consider benchmarking from one of the (10) teams in the 2008 NBA playoffs with a similar type of deal.