Turkish Airlines and the bj-league were both seeking to strengthen their business brands when they announced a two-year tie-up last September.
The airline became the first title sponsor in the league's 10-season history. This gave Turkish Airlines an opportunity to promote its name throughout Japan's 47 prefectures, using basketball as the conduit.
The fact that the 22-team bj-league has had nonstop expansion since its inception in 2005 as a six-team circuit enhanced the potential alliance's appeal; both sides saw it as beneficial to their business interests.