The National Basketball Association is the biggest organization within its own sport. This competition contains the best athletes in the game, and it’s only natural that interest extends all around the world. There are 30 franchises in the NBA, 29 from the United States and one from Canada. While this is the best league, the association is aware that it has competition from Europe and other parts of the world. For that reason, the NBA continues to look for different ways to grow its global audience.
Digital Exposure:
The digital age continues to offer new possibilities for sports leagues to grow their audience. Every athlete and team in the NBA has their own social media presence and this is a great driver for new and existing fans.
The industry doesn’t remain static and, while Twitter and Facebook still have their place, Tik Tok is the current favorite among social media users. With fast and entertaining videos, Tik Tok adds a new dimension. Whatever the platform may be, the digital sector continues to innovate, while finding new ways to attract fans and followers.
Obtaining a Pass:
The NBA League Pass is the way to watch as many top flight basketball games as your schedule allows. It’s a subscription deal via the association which enables fans to stream live action on demand.
As the Pass is issued via the NBA website, it’s clearly a part of their approach to growing the game. Those that do not have access can watch a host of fixtures via main sports broadcasters around the world. The top matches in any gameweek are covered extensively, and viewers can take those in before deciding whether they want to commit to the NBA League Pass.
A Crucial New Market:
In 2018, the US Supreme Court overturned an earlier ruling that had outlawed sports betting in the country. From that point onwards, it was down to the individual States to decide whether to make the practice legal.
Many have seen the potential for new revenue and have seized the opportunity. In a number of states, customers can now access nba finals odds from a range of different sportsbooks. The NBA can benefit from this too as those betting companies are free to advertise and to arrange sponsorship deals in order to raise their profiles.
For those that are new to the practice, the ways in which the NBA grows can allow them to make their choice. Live action, highlights packages and social media news updates are there to keep followers better informed. Research can be key to making the right decisions in terms of any form of sports betting.
Taking the Show on the Road:
One way in which the NFL has successfully grown a global audience is via their overseas games. Matches have taken place in Mexico, Germany and in London where the sport has a huge following. Major League Baseball has followed suit and, in 2023, the St Louis Cardinals will take on the Chicago Cubs at the London Stadium.
The National Basketball Association has ventured outside of the US, but their overseas program has ceased for the time being. In 1990, all eyes were on Japan as the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz played out a two-game series in Tokyo.
London has also hosted NBA match-ups as part of the Global Games series, but the new millennium saw the overseas adventure become less consistent. Worldwide cancellation of sports fixtures in 2020 and into 2021 haven’t helped with this type of program, but it’s something that the NBA will want to consider again moving forward. From 2022, the overseas games are free to return. The Bucks took on the Hornets in Paris in 2020 and that is the most recent world game at the time of writing.
Attracting Interest:
Despite the slowing down of overseas games, interest in the NBA remains constant around Europe and beyond. Germany is a rich source of basketball fans and this is where the NBA matches the top flight national soccer league for viewers.
Figures show that interest across Europe rose by 23% across the 2020/21 season alone. That leaves Europe open for sponsorship and merchandising deals, which has seen the NBA establish a number of marketing partners across the region.
Those are interesting numbers because, while many countries in Europe have their own professional basketball leagues, the NBA is the one to attract the most attention. Any players emerging from the continent will always look across the Atlantic for future, more lucrative employment.
The NBA’s position as the top league in pro basketball remains unchallenged, but it isn’t complacent about its potential. There are many ways in which the association continues to grow and, when the world games return to the schedules, the NBA’s reach can only get bigger.
