The numbers surrounding the famous basketball competition speak for themselves, the 30 teams involved generated combined revenues of nearly $9 billion for the 2022/23 season.
Despite these remarkable figures, the league is not ready to rest on its laurels an annual partnership aimed at improving the fan experience has been signed with Microsoft to create a new platform for the general public.
Precision on the Partnership
Under the terms of the partnership, Microsoft will become the Official Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Computing Partner of the NBA as well as the WNBA, NBA G League and USA Basketball.
Microsoft and NBA Digital – co-managed by the NBA and Turner Sports – will create an innovative new, direct-to-consumer platform on Microsoft Azure that will use and artificial intelligence to deliver next-generation personalised games. This platform will integrate different NBA products and services across all of its activities.
The platform will reimagine the way fans interact with the NBA from their devices by personalising and localising experiences for the NBA’s global fanbase, which includes the 1.8 billion social media fans across all league, team and player accounts.
Digital Transformation of Sport
The news is certainly positive for NBA fans and it’s intriguing to see the kind of platform that will eventually emerge. This news also once again reflects how technology continues to transform so many aspects of the sports world.
From the data coaches can collect on player performance to how fans access information or highlights from their favourite teams, technology has had a major impact on sport over the past decade.
Technology has transformed so many aspects of our daily lives, but one area where its presence has clearly been felt strongly is the world of sports.
The NBA’s partnership with Microsoft and the emergence of new innovations like 5G portend a very promising future and it will be fascinating to see how the technology around the sport will continue to develop in the years to come.
One thing seems certain: the experience of being a sports fan may never be the same again.
