Orlando Magic hires Effect Sport in search of expansion in the Brazilian market

Known for being the most Brazilian team in the NBA, the Orlando Magic is taking another step in its global strategy by strengthening ties with brands and stakeholders in Brazil. Effect Sport has just been hired by the American franchise to lead the expansion of the local brand, overseeing the development of sponsorships and commercial partnerships, brand activations, and relationship management with partners and key players in the market. Recent data released by Sports Value indicate that Brazil has about 70 million NBA fans, making it the second most important market outside the U.S., behind only China. 

“The Orlando Magic joins Effect Sport’s international portfolio with the purpose of connecting with relevant brands in Brazil and creating authentic experiences for fans. Our mission is to strengthen the franchise’s presence in the country and bring Brazilian audiences even closer to the NBA universe,” details Pedro Monteiro, CEO of the agency. 

Effect Sport is the leading Brazilian sports marketing agency with international operations, bringing together the largest portfolio of global clients in the industry. In recent years, the agency has worked with major leagues and brands such as NFL, WSL, SLS, UFC, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Gatorade, and Nike, among others. 

Its relationship with basketball is well established: Effect Sport was the first official NBA representative in Brazil, leading the production of the NBA 3X events from 2011 to 2014 and the League’s Fan Zones in 2014 and 2015. In addition, it produced the Brazilian editions of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, held in Rio de Janeiro in 2013 and 2014, and conceived the project “Giants of 3x3”, shown on TV Globo during Verão Espetacular, in 2017. 

“The Orlando Magic is excited about the partnership with Effect Sport and the growth of our brand in the Brazilian market,” says J.T. McWalters, Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships for the Magic. “We can’t wait to continue to showcase our amazing city and team to fans in Brazil. We hope that Brazilians will continue to discover what we all know to be true: Magic fans carry passion and pride for the team and the city. Through the Magic’s basketball, we can bring them closer to our beloved Orlando,” he adds. 

Brazil is one of the largest consumers of the NBA in the world - and the Orlando Magic plays a prominent role in this connection 

In 36 years of history, the franchise has maintained a historical and consistent relationship with the Brazilian audience, solidified by a series of actions specifically aimed at the national market: 

• the team has been a record holder in ticket sales for groups for ten seasons (up to 23/24), with Brazilian tourists being among the highlighted groups; 

• the Brazil is the #1 spectator market outside North America, being the largest base of international fans; 

• the Magic is the only NBA team to have a game night dedicated to Brazilian culture, Brazil Night, since 2023;

• the Magic was the first NBA franchise to have a Portuguese account on social media. The accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter were created in 2019. Currently, the Instagram has 72.9 thousand and X (formerly Twitter) has 52.1 thousand followers;

• the Magic was the first NBA team to face a Brazilian team in Brazil: the match was against Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro during the 2015 NBA Global Games; before that, the Brazilian team came to Orlando in preseason for friendly games; 

• in 2025, the team held a watch party, in São Paulo, broadcasting the game Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers. 

  
  

This success is not just “magical,” nor a result of a single action by the basketball team. It reflects a larger movement of the city of Orlando, which is experiencing a moment of expansion and global visibility. Famous for housing theme parks, attractions, and natural beauty, ‘The City Beautiful’, as Orlando is affectionately called, ended 2024 with record numbers of visitation, solidifying its position as one of the main tourist hubs in the United States. 

According to data from Visit Orlando, there were 75.3 million visitors over the past year, a growth of 6% compared to 2023. Among them, over 6.5 million were international tourists, with Brazil ranking third among the emitting countries — behind only Canada and the United Kingdom. 

This connection reinforces the strategic role of the Brazilian market not only for Orlando's tourism but also for the city’s sports franchises, such as the Orlando Magic, which seeks to get even closer to local fans and brands through its partnership with Effect Sport.