From Gijón to Los Angeles there are, according to Google Maps, more than 9,000 kilometers. A world… or a phone call. That’s what it cost Borja Meraa young entrepreneur from the Asturian city, so that Sirokohis clothing brand, stands next to the name of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most media teams in the world of sports and which is the main sporting attraction for the stars of Hollywood and Beverly Hills.
The Spanish brand of sports clothing and accessories wants to boost its presence in the international market and for that There is no better partner than a team with 17 NBA rings in its possession and through which some of the best players in history have passed, such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson o Pau Gasol.
The fashion label becomes the first national sports firm to have a sponsorship of these characteristics in the NBA. Thus, during the 2024-2025 season, the company’s corporate image willwill be the prominent protagonist of different areas of the Crypto.com Arena. In addition, this sponsorship also includes the brand presence in the Lakers Girls’ performances.
A historic partnership that was born with a call and a proposal, as Borja Mera, CEO of the firm, says in conversation with Relevo: “In the end we reached out to them by sending them a proposal. There is nothing super magical either”says this Asturian businessman, whose pulse did not tremble when it came to thinking big.
“We recently launched a podcast and started putting ourselves out there. As a result of the launch of our podcast and making ourselves visible, many people have liked us and I have received a flood of proposals. Among them, one stood out from a global sports marketing agency that told me that we could reach any club in the world or any player in the world. “I aimed high and since I have played basketball all my life and we are getting into the basketball market, I said, I want to sponsor the Los Angeles Lakers.”
“A sports marketing agency told me that we could reach any club in the world. I aimed high and said, I want to sponsor the Los Angeles Lakers”
Yes, but from that desire to turning it into reality there is a very big step. Or not so much, as Mera remembers: “Why not? We are like that, we have always been like that and We look for difficult things, we like complicated challenges and sometimes people think that things are more complicated than they are.. “I sent them a proposal to the best of my ability and the Lakers marketing team liked it so this is the beginning.”
That courage has had the desired fruit and Since the beginning of the season, Siroko’s name appears on the Crypto.com Arena scoreboard and in the clothes of the Lakers cheerleaders. That’s what it means to dream big. “You can’t sponsor a team like the Lakers if you don’t believe it.”. It’s impossible. I communicate this a lot, the key to any company, company, human group, association, if you want to get somewhere is to knock on the door on that side and dare to ask them. Obviously then, depending on your talent, you can present one thing or another. Or you can give them a presentation that they like or don’t like, but if you don’t approach it it’s impossible.”
Mera has not yet met LeBron or Anthony Davis, but he has seen the Lakers live. And he has been amazed by everything that surrounds the Los Angeles franchise. “A few weeks ago I was in Las Vegas with them, watching a preseason game, and while the American anthem was playing, Siroko was on the fences. Imagine how proud he was. Or being in their offices, meeting with them and seeing Kobe’s sneakers or all the NBA rings. “I was like a child.”
“A few weeks ago I was in Las Vegas with them, watching a preseason game, and while the American anthem was playing, Siroko was on the fences. Imagine what pride”
Delusion. That is the feeling that Mera conveys the most. Although not only because of his agreement with the Lakers. ANDIn reality, Mera had already fulfilled part of his dream with the sponsorship agreement with ‘his’ Sporting de Gijón. “When we think about which first club we can make the leap to professional sports, we are lucky that it is Sporting in Gijón that is the backbone of the city, everyone in Gijón is from Sporting. See Siroko other NBA teams I would like to. In Europe above Sporting it is complicated. After Sporting, only the Lakers were above [Risas]”.
The conquest of Hollywood is just one more step in a madness that began with Saul Craviotto’s request for some sunglasses and which today has become a partner of one of the largest sports brands in the world. “We started 10 years ago. We simply wanted to set up an e-commerce back in the day. Craviotto, who lives here in Gijón, asked us for some glasses for the Olympic Games, we made them for him and he won the gold medal with them. As a result of this we started to make a sportswear brand.” which today shines on one of the most iconic courts in the world under the gaze of the entire Los Angeles star-system.
