Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 13, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 24, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleThe NFL has partnered with Novartis in a groundbreaking deal focusing on health initiatives and cancer awareness, marking the league's first pharmaceutical partnership.
By Amy Tennery
NEW YORK (Reuters) -The National Football League has signed its first-ever pharmaceutical partner in a multi-year deal with Switzerland-based firm Novartis, a league source told Reuters on Thursday.
The partnership focuses on the NFL's health initiatives, including its annual health and safety summit, as well as its "Crucial Catch" cancer awareness program.
The source was unable to provide the value of the deal.
The partnership marks Novartis' latest foray into sports, after its first-ever Super Bowl advertisement last month, aimed at breast cancer awareness.
The company also partnered with the National Basketball Retired Players Association at last month's All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.
The deal also aligns Novartis, a key developer of cancer treatments, with one of the United States' most powerful cultural institutions after U.S. President Donald Trump last month flagged the possibility of import duties of about 25% on pharmaceuticals.
The NFL did not allow pharmaceutical sponsorships for teams until 2003.
The Novartis deal goes beyond the NFL's early sponsorships in the health sector, however, seeing the company serve as a strategic partner in a first-of-its-kind deal for the league.
Novartis is expected to serve as the league's presenting partner for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and Hall of Fame Class Presentation at NFL Honors.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New YorkEditing by Toby Davis)
The partnership marks Novartis' first pharmaceutical sponsorship with the NFL, focusing on health initiatives and cancer awareness programs.
The NFL did not allow pharmaceutical sponsorships for teams until 2003.
Novartis will support the NFL's health initiatives, including the annual health and safety summit and the 'Crucial Catch' cancer awareness program.
The deal aligns Novartis with a major cultural institution in the U.S. and follows its recent Super Bowl advertisement aimed at breast cancer awareness.
Novartis is expected to serve as the presenting partner for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and the Hall of Fame Class Presentation at NFL Honors.
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