While most energy drink brands chase athletes, C4 Energy is chasing an entire sport.
Nutrabolt, owner of C4 Energy, has announced a string of partnerships that now span the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Canada Basketball and NBA Europe, plus a new athlete deal with Knicks guard Josh Hart.
The moves amount to one of the more aggressive basketball investment strategies from a brand outside the traditional sports drink category and as the global energy drinks market size is projected to hit nearly $143.94 billion by 2032, according to Maximize Market Research.
The Lakers partnership makes C4 the team’s official energy drink, with placement across LED and courtside signage, digital inventory and retail programs. The Canada Basketball deal, meanwhile, adds courtside visibility and national sampling to C4’s North American footprint.
And the NBA Europe agreement — running through 2029 — extends C4’s reach into the U.K., France, Germany and Italy through in-venue activations, digital content, retail programs and appearances at Global Games.
“Basketball is the perfect intersection of sport and culture, and it’s a space where C4 thrives,” Nutrabolt chief marketing officer Robert Zajac said. “We’re not just participating; we’re building authentic connections that fuel the game beyond the court.”
The strategy is timed well. The NBA generated $2.3 billion in brand exposure value during the 2024-25 regular season, according to Relo Metrics, with social media driving $4.5 million in brand value per day, outpacing every other major U.S. sports league.
The WNBA is keeping pace. The league topped independent sports marketing agency Redtorch’s recent SportOnSocial report with a 140% increase in global online searches last year, and Gatorade recently tapped WNBA All-Star Caitlin Clark to front its new Lower Sugar sports drinks.
The enthusiasm for basketball is also flourishing in both gyms and luxury buildings. LA Fitness is piloting AI-powered, gamified courts through a partnership with Shoot 360 and Canadian fitness operator GoodLife Fitness struck its own multi-year deal with Canada Basketball.
In the Manhattan luxury developments space, some buildings, including One Manhattan Square and The Henry, are adding basketball courts and creating leagues for residents.
For its part, the energy drink category shows no signs of slowing. Just this week, warehouse retailer Costco unveiled Kirkland Signature Sparkling Energy Drinks in three flavors at $16.99 per 24-pack, a price point that undercuts Celsius and many other competitors.
Skims founder and newfound longevity investor Kim Kardashian recently joined energy drink brand Update as co-founder as part of its relaunch and rebrand.
“Call Her Daddy” podcast host and Unwell Hydration founder Alex Cooper also entered the functional energy category with Unwell Energy, while Lucky Energy closed an oversubscribed $25 million Series B round late last fall to power its national expansion.
