Rwanda’s tourism brand, Visit Rwanda, has become an official sponsor of the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA and the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) announced Monday.
The partnership marks the first time RDB has joined forces with top-tier American basketball and football teams.
Under the deal, the Clippers will help renovate basketball courts in Rwanda and offer annual training programs for Rwandan coaches through their G League affiliate, the San Diego Clippers. The program also includes technology-based coaching workshops and exchange visits to Kigali to develop young basketball talent.
Visit Rwanda will also be a principal partner of the Rams, with branding displayed at SoFi Stadium, which has a 70,000-seat capacity, and at Hollywood Park, a new sports and entertainment complex under construction. Branding will also appear at the Clippers’ new arena, the Intuit Dome. Players from both teams will feature the Visit Rwanda logo on practice and match-day apparel.
“This partnership strengthens ties between Rwanda and Los Angeles through sports,” said RDB CEO Jean-Guy Afrika.
The announcement comes as Rwanda aims to increase tourism revenue to $1 billion by 2029, up from $650 million in 2024. It follows other international sports partnerships by Rwanda, including Arsenal in England, Paris Saint-Germain in France, Atlético de Madrid in Spain, and Bayern Munich in Germany.
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, owner of both teams, said it was “delighted that Visit Rwanda will promote tourism and travel opportunities here at Hollywood Park, a future hub for international events.”
