Starbucks Corp. ended its long-term sponsorship of the NBA’s Seattle Sonics a year after its chairman, Howard Schultz, sold the team.
Starbucks said it was moving away from sports sponsorships. It has also has ended its sponsorship of the Seattle Mariners, and the company is focusing its marketing dollars toward local events such as park and recreation programmes.
The company also will no longer pour its drinks in KeyArena, the home of the Sonics, as Seattle-based Caffe Appassionato has won that contract and is now a sponsor.
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