The National Basketball Association has announced a multi-year extension of its live content and highlights partnership with Twitter and Turner Sports.
Expanding on the initiative which launched last season, the @NBAonTNT Twitter handle will livestream the second halves of at least 20 regular season games, the All-Star Game, and 16 playoff games, including the Western Conference Finals, through a single-player, isolated camera view.
Fans will vote on Twitter for the player they want to see featured during the live stream, which is offered only in the United States. Former NBA champion Channing Frye will serve as analyst for the #NBATwitterLive stream alongside a rotating panel of NBA influencers.
According to NBA figures, the league’s live stream during the opening-night battle between the LA Lakers and LA Clippers on October 22 enjoyed a 64-per-cent increase in minutes watched and a 68-per-cent uptick in concurrent viewers over last season’s tip-off stream.
In a new feature, this season fans are able to vote for their favorite plays, moments and teams to watch during pre-game warmups. For the first time, there will be Twitter Q&As for the playoffs and finals.
“As early adopters of the social platform, it is exciting to see the #NBATwitter community grow into one of the largest and most active social media fan bases in the world,” said Sam Farber, NBA vice president of digital media. “As part of our extended partnership, #NBATwitter will drive interest in live NBA games, inform fans where to watch the action and bring fans closer to the league, teams and players through the NBA on TNT second-screen streaming experience.”
“This partnership is a perfect match,” said TJ Adeshola, Head of US Sports Partnerships at Twitter. “Not only does it give fans more of what they want to see, it provides an ideal canvas for marketers to connect with what’s happening in the NBA, on Twitter.”
10 years of #NBATwitter and more to come!
The NBA and Twitter are extending their partnership, which includes another exciting season of #NBATwitterLive. We tip off the first game of 2020 with @celtics at @sixers Thursday night (7pm/et, TNT).https://t.co/eLbdobrbbG pic.twitter.com/rAH2Hqjqh6
— NBA (@NBA) January 8, 2020