Microsoft, NBA’s Official Cloud And AI Partner To Produce NBA’s New Integrated Digital Platform

With entirely new personalization features, the NBA App will provide wall-to-wall content from every NBA game and feature social-style vertical video, unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to players and teams, new and existing shows and series, and access to the NBA vault for free. 

The NBA App – a product of NBA Digital, the league’s joint venture with Turner Sports – is free to download. Moreover, the New NBA App to Provide Wall-to-Wall Content from Every Game with Personalized Experiences, Social-Style Vertical Video, Behind-the-Scenes Access to Players and Teams and More Powered by Microsoft; NBA App to Go Beyond NBA Game Coverage with New and Existing Original Shows, Live Basketball from Leagues Around the World and Partner and Influencer Content; New Global Membership Program, NBA ID, Offers Special Access to League Benefits; NBA League Pass and NBA TV Bundle Available at New Low Price.

In addition, the NBA has launched NBA ID, the league’s new global membership program offering fans benefits and rewards from the league, teams and its partners.  NBA ID, which is free to join, will link a fan’s experiences across existing products like NBA League Pass and NBA Pick’Em. Throughout the season, NBA ID members will get access to new original content and fan favorites from the NBA vault.

Additionally, there will be enhanced members-only experiences from NBA partners, ticket promotions, prizes through predictive and sweepstakes-style NBA Pick’Em fantasy games, voting campaigns and other rewards.

According to the NBA, NBA App is powered by the NBA’s new integrated digital platform, which was built in partnership with Microsoft, the NBA’s official cloud and AI partner.  The NBA App now includes a sleek new design and a first-of-its-kind “For You” experience, with content recommendations based on fan preferences and personalization powered by Microsoft Azure and Azure AI.  Within the app’s “For You” page, fans can tap into a social-like vertical video experience – with vertical scrolling – that features real-time highlights of all NBA games in progress. Furthemore, the league’s direct-to-consumer subscription offerings – NBA League Pass and NBA TV – will be integrated into the NBA App, giving fans the ability to watch live games and highlights and check scores, statistics and standings, all in one place. 

For NBA League Pass subscribers, the live streams will feature higher video quality, lower streaming latency and a seamless user experience for consuming live NBA content.

NBA League Pass returns this season with a new bundle and at its lowest pricing ever. For a limited time, the standard package is now available for $14.99 per month ($99.99 for full season) and the premium package for $19.99 per month ($129.99 for full season).  Subscribers will automatically receive the NBA TV direct-to-consumer offering as part of the new bundle.

Content highlights on the NBA App include Live Programming and Social-Style Content; External Content Contributors; and Exclusive Original Programming.

The NBA added that additional content series and other enhanced features on the NBA App will be announced throughout the season. The league is composed of 30 teams, 29 in the United States and one in Canada, and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. It is the premier men’s professional basketball league in the world. And the NBA’s regular season runs from October to April, with each team playing 82 games.

The league’s playoff tournament extends into June. And as of 2020, NBA players are the world’s best paid athletes by average annual salary per player.