So it's on the Paris Basketball that Marriott has set its sights on entering the French sporting arena. The partnership between the Marriott Bonvoy and the Parisian club was made official on 29 September. " We had been looking for a sporting partner in France for some time, and we found one in Paris Basketball. "Ronny Maier, Vice-President of Marriott International in charge of Western Europe and North Africa. He sees this agreement as " A fantastic opportunity for us to promote experiences that money can't buy ". The loyalty programme of the world's leading hotel group is all about experiences and 'Bonvoy Moments'. The 'experiential' turn taken in 2019 with the launch of Bonvoy - a few months after the creation of Paris Basketball - will now prove its worth to French members.
A spotlight on Roland Garros, in anticipation of the adidas Arena
For the launch of this partnership, the perfect event has already been found. What could be better than a prestigious match at Roland Garros to give a first glimpse of these privileged 'Moments' to which the points accumulated over stays at Marriott hotels can open the doors? Paris Basketball is preparing to host AS Monaco on 16 October at the Court Philippe-Chatrier. More than 10,000 spectators are expected to attend this foray into basketball at Roland Garros, including Marriott Bonvoy members who win online bids for VIP access, a night's accommodation overlooking the Eiffel Tower and transfers to attend the event.
This premium access will also be integrated into Paris Basketball's more "traditional" home matches, the My Bonvoy All Star sofa zone guaranteeing the best seats in the Halle Georges-Carpentier, on the edge of the court. This proximity will take on a new dimension with another Moment programmed by the two partners: the opportunity to travel with the Paris Basketball team for an away match during the season, perhaps even for a European Cup match...
" We're really proud of this new partnership with the international Marriott Bonvoy brand, which also symbolises a new stage in the development of Paris Basketball, with the chance to play in the European Cup - and therefore visit a lot of Marriott hotels! "says Mathias Priez, Managing Director of Paris Basketball. He warns: " We're going to be able to activate a lot of things around the members of the loyalty programme, and a lot of surprises and special experiences are going to be developed during this partnership. The aim is really to offer a unique experience, especially when we're at the Adidas Arena. ".
The list of experiments planned around the Parisian club has yet to be fleshed out or imagined, but Paris Basketball's new working tool does open up some interesting prospects. " I hope we can build on this partnership when we start playing at the adidas Arena at Porte de la Chapelle in 2023. "David Kahn, President and co-owner of Paris Basketball, confirms this. All the more so as Marriott's experimental programme already enjoys an undeniable aura, as Mathias Priez points out: " We're very proud that it's an international brand, which is already partnered with clubs like Arsenal, with international leagues... For us, it's really very important... ".
It's hard to argue with the Managing Director of Paris Basketball: the Marriott Bonvoy programme has built up a prestigious network and undeniable expertise in rewarding member loyalty with unique experiences. Two days before the Paris partnership, for example, the hotel group made official the Bonvoy Moments scheduled for the next Super Ball. An official partner of the NFL for the past twelve years, Marriott will be offering a "Fansgiving" dinner on the 50-yard line of the New York Giants' field the week before Thanksgiving. And on the eve of football's big event, members of the Marriott Bonvoy programme will even be able to sleep inside the stadium, in a suite converted for the occasion into a Courtyard room, with a view of the pitch.
Admittedly, the initiatives launched on the French market - like the number of points required to take part in them - are nothing like the projects initiated in the United States. This is probably not the objective, especially as it is a question of finding a place in a city where two key event venues - the Parc des Princes and the AccorHotels Arena - already bear the imprint of another hotel group. In choosing Paris Basketball, Marriott Bonvoy is taking a gamble on a club that is still in its infancy, which will give it plenty of scope to come up with new experiences in a brand new Arena. We may even be able to forge other partnerships to extend Marriott Bonvoy's range of products and services and expand its footprint in the French market. " Step by step "As Ronny Maier puts it...
