The G League, the NBA basketball league’s developmental competition, has agreed a streaming deal with social video platform Twitch.
The deal is effective from tomorrow (Friday). The G League said the partnership will mark the first time a major sports league has “tapped into several technological innovations unique to Twitch”.
Up to six G League games a week will be streamed via twitch.tv/nbagleague during the 2017-18 regular season. The games will be available on demand after each live broadcast.
The G League will also explore co-streaming opportunities with Twitch personalities and basketball fans. At launch, GoldGlove and more than a dozen other personalities will take part in the co-streaming initiative.
The NBA G League Extension channel overlay will also be introduced using Twitch Extensions, a new set of tools that allows developers to help creators customise their channels with interactive experiences.
Viewers will be able to click on a team’s name or logo and view player, team, game and season statistics, while there will also be a ticker featuring league stats related to other G League games.
Logged-in viewers will also be rewarded with loyalty points for passive and active behaviours and interactions with the stream, with unlockable achievements and prizes up for grabs.
“Our deal with Twitch will be groundbreaking,” NBA G League president Malcolm Turner said. “By leveraging fan commentary, new technology and a passionate community, Twitch elevates video in a unique, engaging way that resonates with young viewers. We look forward to collaborating with their team to create something truly special for basketball fans.”