NBA All-Star 2027 Phoenix Shirts: Dates and Trademark Rules

NBA All-Star 2027 runs Friday, Feb. 19 to Sunday, Feb. 21, 2027 in Phoenix, with the 76th NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 21, according to the NBA's official releases. It is Phoenix's fourth All-Star weekend, after 1975, 1995, and 2009. For Arizona print shops the weekend brings party, staff, and fan-group orders, and a familiar trap: the NBA and the Suns hold registered trademarks for shirts. Here is the confirmed schedule, the marks a shop should know, and a local opportunity the NBA has opened to Phoenix businesses.

NBA All-Star 2027 schedule

Sources: NBA Communications releases of March 7, 2024 (host city and game date), Oct. 8, 2026 (fan events and tickets), and Oct. 13, 2026 (HBCU Classic). The 2024 release named the game venue as Footprint Center, home of the Phoenix Suns; the October 2026 release lists Rising Stars at Mortgage Matchup Center. Rosters and the game's tip time had not been announced as of Nov. 13, 2026.

The NBA says Jam Session returns for the first time since 2014, covering more than 300,000 square feet with more than 40 activations, and that an outdoor space called Canyons on Third will be free with no ticket required.

Who orders shirts for All-Star weekend

• Watch party and bar hosts. Staff shirts and giveaway tees for viewing parties around the Valley.
• Youth basketball clubs and rec leagues. Teams planning a trip to Jam Session often want matching shirts.
• HBCU alumni groups. Howard and Tennessee State alumni chapters in Arizona and visiting from out of state may order group shirts for the HBCU Classic. Each university controls its own name and logos, so those orders need the school's licensing approval, just like any college order.
• Corporate hospitality and event staff. Companies hosting clients during the weekend order staff polos and tees under their own brand.
• Local businesses. Restaurants and shops running All-Star specials want staff shirts.

The trademarks a shop should know

From the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's trademark search, checked Nov. 13, 2026 (all live registrations in class 25, which covers clothing):

Three takeaways:

1. The league registers each All-Star year for apparel. The 2020 through 2023 marks show the pattern: year plus host city, owned by NBA Properties, registered for clothing. No 2027 or Phoenix version appeared in the search on Nov. 13, 2026, but that does not make "All-Star 2027 Phoenix" free to print. A shirt that sells the event's name is the kind of product those registrations exist to cover.
2. "NBA" and team names need a license. NBA Properties holds the NBA mark for T-shirts and sweatshirts, and the Suns hold their name for clothing. Team logos and player likenesses are off limits for an unlicensed shop.
3. A licensed customer is a different case. If a sponsor or partner wants league marks on its shirts, ask for the written approval before printing.

Designs that stay clear

• Basketballs, hoops, nets, and court lines drawn in-house
• Phoenix and Arizona imagery: saguaros, desert sunsets, the state outline, "Valley" and "PHX"
• The customer's own name: "Smith Family Hoops Weekend," "Desert Ballers 12U," a bar's own logo
• Generic phrases like "Hoops Weekend," "Courtside," or "February in the Desert"

The team and spirit shirt design ideas and the blank jersey and roster apparel guide cover the production side. The licensed character and trademark guide explains the general rules.

A local opening: the NBA All-Star Rewards Program

The NBA's Oct. 8 release says restaurants and retail businesses with a Greater Phoenix storefront can apply to join the NBA All-Star Rewards Program, in which fans earn prizes by visiting and shopping at participating local businesses through the NBA Events App. A Phoenix-area print shop or apparel boutique with a retail storefront fits that description. The application is linked from the NBA release; the participant list will appear in the NBA Events App.

The rest of the 2027 sports calendar

All-Star weekend lands between two other trademark-heavy events: the Super Bowl LXI and Valentine's Day guide covers early February, and the March Madness 2027 guide covers March. The College Football Playoff licensing guide covers January. Arizona shops can also find local transfer suppliers on the Arizona supplier page and the Phoenix city page.

FAQ

When is NBA All-Star 2027?

NBA All-Star 2027 runs Friday, Feb. 19 to Sunday, Feb. 21, 2027 in Phoenix. The 76th NBA All-Star Game is Sunday, Feb. 21, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night is Feb. 20, and Castrol Rising Stars is Friday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. MT, according to the NBA.

Where is the 2027 NBA All-Star Game?

The NBA's 2024 announcement says the game will be played at the home arena of the Phoenix Suns, then named Footprint Center. The NBA's October 2026 release refers to that arena as Mortgage Matchup Center for Rising Stars. NBA Jam Session is at the Phoenix Convention Center.

Can I print NBA All-Star shirts without a license?

Not with the league's names or logos. NBA Properties holds live registrations for NBA and for past All-Star year marks covering clothing, and the Suns hold their team name for clothing. Shirts that use original basketball and Phoenix artwork without those marks are the safer route.

Who is playing in the 2027 NBA HBCU Classic?

The NBA announced on Oct. 13, 2026 that Howard University and Tennessee State University will play in the 2027 NBA HBCU Classic presented by AT&T on Saturday, Feb. 20 at noon MT, at Hardwood Central inside NBA Jam Session at the Phoenix Convention Center.

Can a Phoenix print shop join the NBA All-Star Rewards Program?

The NBA says restaurants and retail businesses with a Greater Phoenix storefront are invited to apply. Fans earn rewards by visiting participating businesses through the NBA Events App. A print shop with a walk-in retail storefront fits that description; the application is linked in the NBA's Oct. 8, 2026 release.