The NBA and Microsoft are teaming up to offer fans a new way to experience basketball.
Key Details
- The National Basketball Association has partnered with Microsoft to offer a brand new app to fans.
- Jumping into one of the biggest sports in America is a big step for Microsoft—but the rebuild of the NBA app is looking to benefit both teams.
- The new app that the league refers to as the all-in-one destination for NBA fans of every team launched this week just in time for the start of the new season next month.
Why it’s news
The NBA was in the works of beefing up its digital strategy and Microsoft stepped in to help.
The two have redesigned the NBA app to offer the best of the best for fans of any team anywhere.
The NBA app now includes a sleek new design and a first-of-its-kind “For You” experience, with content recommendations based on fan preferences and personalization powered by Microsoft Azure and Azure AI.
Within the app’s “For You” page, fans can tap into a social-like vertical video experience with vertical scrolling that features real-time highlights of all NBA games in progress, according to a press release.
Microsoft and the NBA have been working on NBA League Pass, a service that streams out-of-town games, which will also be featured on the app.
Digging Deeper
The league knocked the price of the League Pass down from about $300 a year to $14.99 a month for a single device and $19.99 a month for multiple devices. Microsoft’s artificial intelligence will help customize scoreboards and player stats for bettors and fantasy-league fanatics, according to Forbes writer, Jabari Young.
“Launching our new NBA App and digital platform is a major milestone as we continue to build and strengthen our direct-to-consumer offerings,” said NBA Executive Vice President, Chris Benyarko. “We are thrilled to deliver a reimagined product that will enhance and personalize the way NBA fans engage with the league on a daily basis.”
The league is joining in for the long run as many fans have been switching over to digital platforms and apps to consume media.
Other added membership features include “NBA ID” where fans can buy tickets and “CrunchTime,”a free weekly whiparound show taking fans live to crucial moments of each game and providing real-time updates and analysis and much more.
“We’ll learn a lot about the reaction from fans,” the NBA’s Benyarko said. “Based on what we see going through the season, there’s always an opportunity to adjust. But we feel good about where we are right now.”
