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Tag: National Basketball Association

  • Campaign to repurpose discarded underwater fishing nets as basketball nets

    NBA launches of ‘Nets for Change’

    The National Basketball Association (NBA) has launched ‘Nets for Change’, a new campaign to repurpose discarded underwater fishing nets at basketball courts in India. The discarded nets, which pose a threat to marine ecosystems, are being repurposed as basketball nets at courts that are missing a fundamental element of the game – a functional net.

    In collaboration with Publicis Communications, Middle East and Africa, the pilot project launched at a school in Mumbai with plans to expand to other markets. The league and Publicis are working closely with seaside communities in Mumbai to retrieve abandoned fishing nets, which are then transformed into durable, eco-friendly basketball nets.

    Said NBA India Head of Marketing Murtuza Madraswala: “The launch of ‘Nets for Change’ reflects our commitments both to environmental responsibility and to growing basketball across India. Discarded underwater fishing nets pose a significant environmental threat, and through this initiative we will give these nets a new purpose, so that aspiring players have higher-quality courts where they can come together to play the game.”

  • Television channels Vh1 and MTV, and digital platforms Voot and Jio TV will air the content

    NBA moves from Sony to Viacom18

    By Our Staff

     

    The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Viacom18 announced a multiyear partnership to deliver live NBA games and programming to fans in India across television and over-the-top streaming. Until recently, NBA had a partnership with Sony Pictures.

     

    Beginning with the NBA’s landmark 75th Anniversary Season in 2021-22, Viacom18 as part of the partnership enabled and supported by Rise Worldwide will provide coverage of the NBA’s regular season and marquee events in English and Hindi through its television channels Vh1 and MTV, and through its digital platforms Voot and Jio TV.  Coverage will include weekly live games, NBA All-Star, the NBA Play-In Tournament, the NBA Playoffs and the Finals.  Viacom18 will also show daily highlights and create original NBA-themed programming that will run on a number of channels across its network.

     

    Said Anil Jayaraj, CEO – Sports, Viacom18: “While sports are the biggest whitespace that we are entering, to build a truly inclusive and differentiated proposition, we need to look at diverse sporting events from across the globe. Basketball is a sport that is increasingly gaining attention and affinity in India.  Through this partnership with the NBA, not only do we want to make basketball mainstream, but also build its lifestyle appeal among sports fans.”

     

    Added Anshul Ailawadi, Head of Youth, Music and English Entertainment for Viacom18: “Globally, basketball is more than a sport – it is a lifestyle. As we look to build basketball into a cultural phenomenon in India, we welcome this deep partnership with the NBA.  Over the course of this association, we will be initiating a heavily localized marketing outreach and consumer connect programme aimed at building fandom for the sport.”

     

    Said Sunny Malik, Head of Global Content and Media Distribution, NBA India: “We are thrilled to partner with Viacom18 to broadcast and stream live NBA games to a nationwide audience. Basketball’s popularity in India continues to grow, and by offering a range of NBA programming on Viacom18 in both English and Hindi, we look forward to reaching and inspiring millions of new and existing NBA fans across the country.”

     

  • The campaign challenges audiences to sample at least one NBA game on Sony Ten1 & NBA League Pass

    The NBA lays #EkGameChallenge on Indian fans

    By A Correspondent

     

    The National Basketball Association announced the launch of its new marketing campaign, #NBAEkGameChallenge for the 2019-2020 season. With the objective to grow the league’s fan base in India, the campaign aims to recruit new fans through the existing fan community who serve as the league’s biggest evangelist. The campaign challenges audiences to sample at least one NBA game on Sony Ten1 and NBA League Pass and promises that they will keep coming back for more.

     

    Notes a communique: “The six-week long campaign will engage with fans across the country through a mass media outreach leveraging digital and social media platforms and driving people to sample just one NBA game.”

     

     

  • Select Inox cinemas in Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune to feature NBA branding, memorabilia and games

    NBA and Inox announce partnership in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Inox Leisure Ltd. have announced a partnership to integrate the NBA into select cinemas across Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune.

     

    As the NBA’s Exclusive Multiplex Partner in India, Inox will introduce numerous NBA elements in and around its cinema houses, including co-branded inflatables and popcorn buckets, NBA posters and NBA jersey wall displays. Inox will host screening parties for select games throughout the NBA season, along with meet-and-greet sessions with former NBA players.

     

    Said Alok Tandon, CEO of Inox Leisure: “With a clear focus on curating the best experience for our patrons, we have continuously been working on partnerships to help us elevate their cinema-going experience,” “This partnership with the NBA adds a global touch to our brand offering and a new dimension to Inox, and we invite our patrons across the country to come forward and experience the NBA for themselves.”

     

    Added Diane Gotua, NBA Vice President of Global Business Operations: “We are thrilled to partner with a dynamic brand like Inox, to further connect with our fans in India. This is an ideal way for us to generate awareness and engagement for the NBA at a large scale and reach new and existing fans alike across the country.”

     

     

  • McDonald’s to launch NBA-themed promotions in select locations across 39 cities

    NBA and McDonald’s announce marketing partnership in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    The National Basketball Association (NBA) and McDonald’s announced a partnership to introduce NBA-themed promotions and interactive NBA Experience Zones in select McDonald’s locations in 39 cities across India.

     

    From today (Nov 13) till Dec 12, McDonald’s will give away an NBA-branded basketball with every family meal purchase at any McDonald’s restaurant in the West and South regions while stocks last.

     

    Said Seema Arora Nambiar, Senior Vice President of Strategy, Innovation and Capability, McDonald’s India: “We at McDonald’s believe that playing sport is crucial to the overall development of children. Globally, McDonald’s is associated with various sports and this Children’s Day we are partnering with the NBA to encourage children to step out and play to have fun and create happy childhood memories.”

     

    Added Yannick Colaco, NBA India Managing Director: “We are excited to partner with a global iconic brand like McDonald’s. This campaign with McDonald’s is a perfect way for us to deliver new and engaging NBA experiences to our fans.”

     

     

  • Sony SIX to televise up to 14 live NBA games per week

    Sony SIX extends partnership with NBA in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Multi Screen Media (MSM) announced a multiyear extension of their partnership that will provide fans with up to 14 live NBA games per week on Sony SIX. The NBA and MSM first announced their partnership during the 2010-11 NBA season.

     

    With the expanded partnership, Sony SIX will broadcast up to two regular-season games per day, in addition to NBA All-Star, the playoffs and The Finals. Sony SIX will also create customized lifestyle-oriented, off-the-court programming that engages Indian youth by bringing together talent from the NBA, Sony Entertainment and Bollywood.

     

    Prasana Krishnan

    “Our partnership with the NBA has seen basketball become the fastest growing sport in India over the last few years. This clearly indicates that the TV viewing audience for the NBA will continue to rise,” said Sony SIX and KIX Business Head Prasana Krishnan. “The launch of our customized local LIVE NBA wraparound program will also bring sports fans closer to the on-court action.”

     

    “We are excited to extend our partnership with Sony SIX to continue delivering comprehensive coverage of the NBA to our fans,” said NBA India Managing Director Yannick Colaco. “The popularity of the NBA continues to grow and, through the diversity of NBA programming on Sony SIX, we will continue attracting and engaging with existing and new viewers alike across India.”

     

    Sony SIX will continue to broadcast daily and weekly NBA highlight shows and integrate daily content from NBA TV, including team previews and recap shows. The daily 30-minute highlight programs will be broadcast in primetime every day of the season. The weekly highlight shows, hosted by a local anchor, will recap all the happenings around the NBA during the past week. For the first time in India, the NBA and Sony SIX will introduce a customized, local live NBA wraparound program every weekend throughout the season, bringing viewers closer to the game. The program will be hosted by a panel of basketball experts that will provide analysis and insight on all of the latest NBA news.

     

    The NBA and Sony SIX will also continue their focus on the development of basketball in India, beginning with the return of NBA Jam – the league’s annual basketball festival – on Oct. 24. With the expanded partnership, more NBA players, legends and dance teams will visit India throughout the year.

     

  • Through this partnership, the widest assortment of NBA merchandise will be available in India including the first-ever NBA products for women in the country

    Jabong to power NBAstore.in in India

    By a correspondent

     

    The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Jabong have announced the launch of the first official NBA online store in India, NBAStore.in. The announcement was made at a press conference in Mumbai attended by Bollywood star and NBA fan Abhishek Bachchan.

     

    Through this partnership, the widest assortment of NBA merchandise will be available in India including the first-ever NBA products for women in the country.

     

    NBAStore.in will be an NBA-branded destination within Jabong.com – one of the leading sports and fashion destinations in India — which has 30 million unique visitors per month and delivers to more than 400 cities, towns and villages. The collection of approximately 200 NBA products will include shorts, jerseys and t-shirts for men and women and will be priced between Rs 1400 – 14000.

     

    NBAStore.in will complement the NBA’s partnership with adidas which offers fans NBA products in more than 200 adidas stores across India. Merchandise sales have doubled each of the last two seasons.

     

    This announcement comes amidst rapid growth of the NBA’s fanbase in India. This season, a record 14 games per week are televised on SONY SIX, up from three last season, viewership has grown by triple digits, and attendance at grassroots basketball events has doubled.

     

    “Sports are a major draw amongst today’s youth in India and we have seen a spike in demand for branded sportswear on Jabong,” said Praveen Sinha, Co-founder & Managing Director, Jabong.com.”We are extremely happy to partner with one of the biggest and greatest brands in sports, and are confident that the NBA will be able to power the game of basketball to the same levels of popularity seen in other parts of the world.”

     

    “Passion for basketball and the NBA is growing rapidly in India, and the increasing demand for NBA merchandise makes this the perfect time to launch a dedicated e-commerce destination,” said Managing Director, NBA India, Yannick Colaco. “Digital is an enormous growth area for us, and NBAStore.in will allow us to reach more fans across the country.”

     

    NBAStore.in will offer many exclusive products including: oncourt product and fan gear from adidas, women’s and men’s fan gear from Levelwear,  NBA socks from New Horizon, official NBA basketballs from Spalding and basketball footwear from adidas, Reebok, Nike and Brand Jordan. Additional exclusive products will be added each season.

     

    This marks the NBA’s fifth international online store since 2012 and sales for these destinations are up more than 100 percent this year. The online stores include NBATienda in Mexico, LojaNBA.com in Brazil, NBAstore.eu in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and NBA.tmall.com in China.  Overall, more than 30 percent of NBA merchandise revenue is generated internationally.

     

    In India, the NBA has hosted more than 500 events in 10 cities since 2008, opened its first office in Mumbai in 2011 and nearly 30 NBA players and legends have conducted basketball events in India.

     

  • Will reach approximately 10,000 students and 800 coaches across five cities

    HP, others to parner junior NBA/WNBA school-based programme in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    The National Basketball Association (NBA), in collaboration with HP and Basketball Federation of India (BFI), announced that it will launch the 2012 Jr NBA/Jr WNBA basketball development program in India on May 26.  The program will reach out to approximately 10,000 students and 800 coaches in five cities and marks an important step in incorporating basketball into the regular sports routine of India n youth at the school level.

     

    BFI and HP will support the Jr NBA/Jr WNBA program and enhance the experience for India n youth throughout the event. Adidas is the official outfitter for the program and will provide apparel and footwear for participants and coaches.

     

    “The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program demonstrates the NBA’s commitment to growing basketball at a grassroots level and will reach more children in its second year as one of the league’s most inclusive programs in India ,” said Akash Jain, Sr. Director, Development, NBA India .

     

    The program will visit Delhi , Chennai, Mumbai, Pune and Chandigarh, and will culminate with the Jr NBA/Jr WNBA Skills Challenge National Finals in Delhi on July14-15.  The NBA has now implemented sustainable grassroots programs in seven cities in India .

     

    A dedicated Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA microsite on NBA.com India  will provide all coaches and physical education instructors access to videos, photos and other materials to reinforce proper training technique. HP will provide laptops and Dream Screens to enhance the training experience.  An HP Technology Zone will be created at each City Championship and the National Finals where fans can create their own basketball player with the NBA Avatar game.

     

    “With a very strong focus on the youth of the country, Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA will help create yet another platform with the NBA to reach our young and active audiences while promoting the game of basketball,” said HP India Chief Marketing Officer, PSG, Ranjivjit Singh.

     

    At the center of this program is the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Skills Challenge, which begins with a City Championship tournament in all five cities with approximately 2,000 participants between the ages of 10-12 in each city. The top five boys and top five girls will qualify to represent their city at the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA National Finals.

     

    Since 2008, the NBA has staged grassroots programs in seven cities in India including the Mahindra NBA Challenge which has become the largest, multi-city, community-based basketball league in India .  Six live NBA games air each week during the regular season on Ten Sports, Sony PIX, Sony SIX and NBA.com/India , and the NBA currently has its widest assortment of NBA merchandise available in 200 adidas stores across the country.

     

    The NBA has marketing partnerships in India with Adidas, Coca-Cola, HP, Mahindra, Nike, Reebok and Spalding.