NBA's Facebook Live stream of regular season game speaks to US leagues' dedication to growing internationally
The NBA streamed its first ever regular-season game on Facebook Live last night (8 January) exclusively to fans in India as the league follows suit with other US-based sports in ramping up marketing in new markets.
The live stream showed the Warriors winning the game 117-106
The Facebook live stream broadcast the Sacramento Kings’ home game from the Kings’ Golden 1 Center arena where they took on the Golden State Warriors.
The fixture marked the Kings’ fourth annual Bollywood Night which celebrates traditional Indian culture, cinema and music. The events follow on from the arrival of Indian-born technology entrepreneur Vivek Ranadivé who purchased the franchise in 2013.
In addition to the game itself, the stream showed in-arena entertainment including performances from the Kings’ dancers and special guests as well as Bollywood-style introductions.
Fans in India accessed the stream via the official Facebook pages of the NBA, the Kings and the Warriors. The broadcast also featured the NBA Mobile View feed which offers a totally different viewing experience for users watching on a mobile device.
The mobile view is optimised for viewing on smaller screens and features a zoomed perspective designed to circumvent the tendency for viewers to squint at the screen as they try to determine details on a small screen. In an effort to offer a more tailored and fluid experience the mobile view has a dedicated camera, cameraman, and producer.
Targeting international markets has become a major focus of US sports in recent years as leagues look to new markets having essentially maximised the fan bases in their home market.
The NFL have been holding games in the UK for a decade now and is seriously considering launching a London-based team as it increases its commitment to the UK and wider European market. The international outlook led the league to partner with China’s Sina Weibo to live stream key games including the Super Bowl for the first time in China.