German oil and additive specialist LIQUI MOLY has partnered with the Chicago Bulls. The company’s in-stadium advertising and social media advertising will seek to tap into the broad appeal of the NBA team. LIQUI MOLY will pay “a seven-digit figure in return,” according to the company.

“This is our largest-scale sponsorship program ever in North America,” said Peter Baumann, marketing manager at LIQUI MOLY.

The oil manufacturer’s brand will have a significant presence at the United Center, including permanent logo placement on the pole pads of both baskets, as well as on the Bulls’ digital platforms. LIQUI MOLY also will invite customers to games with unique hospitality experiences, according to the company.

“This transatlantic collaboration is not purely an investment in our U.S. trade-its impact goes far beyond the region,” said Peter Baumann. “The NBA is by far the most popular basketball league in the world, with hundreds of millions of spectators following the games worldwide. What is more, the Chicago Bulls have large numbers of particularly loyal fans-not just in North America but also in South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. The club itself claims to have 175 million fans worldwide-more than any other professional team in the U.S.”

Even though LIQUI MOLY’s main emphasis in terms of sponsorship is in the area of motor racing, the brand is increasingly appearing away from the track, too. In Germany, LIQUI MOLY has for years been an exclusive partner to Ratiopharm Ulm, a team that plays in the German national basketball league. In the U.S., LIQUI MOLY has now been involved in ice hockey for a year, sponsoring the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.

Trade in the US is booming for LIQUI MOLY. In the first six months of the year, sales were over 40 percent higher than in the equivalent period of the previous year, according to the company. The company had previously made massive investments in the US market, more than doubling its personnel there over the last two years.