From Draft Picks to Digital Picks: Driving Opportunities in the NBA Using Technologies
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has a global fan base with millions of followers, and it generates billions of dollars in revenue each year through broadcasting rights, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and ticket sales. The league also has a significant impact on the economies of the cities where the teams are located, creating jobs and generating tourism revenue. Through digital technology, commercial opportunities are being driven to enhance the success of the organization and to sustain their ever-growing popularity.
Taking Advantage of Social Media
With the advent of the internet and social media, the NBA can connect with fans worldwide. The league can use social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to promote games and engage with fans. By creating content that resonates with fans wherever they may be, the NBA can build a loyal fan base and expand its brand globally. Thereby creating a sense of community among fans.
Significance of Online Networking
There’s no denying how crucial social media is for companies to capitalize on profit and reach a wider and diversified audience. A 2021 study conducted by Chadwick et al highlights the pivotal role of social media with high-engagement sports brands. They write in their conclusion,
“Social media has quickly become very important for sports brands, providing managers with a dynamic, interactive means through which to engage with consumers. Such is the distinctive nature of the relationship between sports brands and social media, that it can be described as a symbiotic one, enabling the simultaneous fulfillment of respective goals,” (Chadwick et al., 2021).
It is a well-established fact that sports fans enjoy discussing their favorite teams and athletes, while sports brands aim to actively participate in these conversations. Social media has as a consequence enabled these interactions to occur and helped perpetuate these conversations on a global level, connecting NBA teams and fans from around the world.
Optimizing Platforms
The NBA can improve its social media presence by experimenting with new content formats and platforms, and by leveraging social media to engage with fans in real-time and on a more personal level. Producing more compelling content such as quizzes, polls, live tweeting and interactive videos. This type of content encourages fans to participate and provides them with a sense of ownership over their favorite teams. Moreover, the organization could draw more focus on its various digital platforms in different ways. For example, utilizing TikTok to have younger fans feel more involved by posting content more targeted for such audiences instead of publishing more or less the same posts on all their platforms.
Fan Engagement
Fan engagement is essential for the NBA’s success both on and off the court. It generates revenue, builds brand loyalty, provides a competitive advantage, and helps to maintain the league’s cultural relevance. Yet, social media isn’t the only opportunity for improving this integral sports aspect.
Expanding Digital Technologies
Digital technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) can enhance the fan experience. Fans can use VR and AR to experience games from different perspectives, interact with players, and even participate in virtual competitions. The NBA can leverage these technologies to create unique and immersive experiences for fans that go beyond just watching games on TV. Reading through Stefen Clough’s fascinating blog post on “the future of the events industry through the gaming advances into AR and VR”. One vital takeaway I took from the article was how it emphasized the notion that the world is becoming increasingly digital and that new technologies will inevitably continue take industries by storm. And as these digital technologies continue to evolve, adaptability becomes fundamental for the NBA — which makes it necessary for them to keep up with the latest trends and innovations. For example, as more fans consume content on mobile devices, the NBA must develop mobile-friendly experiences that cater to this audience. The league might also soon need to be prepared to adjust to more novel technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning, which have the potential to completely transform the sports industry.
Impending Implementation of VR
Meta (formerly known as Facebook) have recently made big strides in the development of VR for the NBA. In late January of 2023 they announced the “launching of more than 50 live NBA games in virtual reality (VR) on Meta Quest, including five in immersive, 180-degree VR”. With more happening on this front everyday, soon fans will be able to watch games as if they were sitting courtside, right infront of the players. With even the possibility replacing the athletes with perfect 3D models of themselves in video replays!
Regulating Play & Refereeing
In the NBA there has recently been a lot of controversy regarding refereeing decisions in games. Fellow blogger Jun Guo writes about the critical use of VAR in reshaping football and fairplay in the sport. Similarly, a digital system like this could be a huge opportunity for the league as it improves referee judgements which in turn mitigates criticism against the NBA. Funnily enough, this could soon be a real thing as media journalist Tom Haberstroh tweets, “Reporting on Basketball Illuminati: Hawk-Eye, the tech company behind VAR, is expected to take over NBA player tracking and start implementing VAR (goaltending, 2 vs. 3, etc) in NBA games as early as the 2023–24 season.”
Data Analytics
Finally, the NBA can use data analytics to gain insights into fan behavior and preferences. The league can use this information to create personalized experiences for fans, such as targeted marketing campaigns and customized content. In one example, when NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo collaborated with the hit video game Fortnite — the NBA was creatively brought to the gaming community. More needs to be done in this respect of reaching specific target populations to widen their audience.
In summary, the NBA can use digital technologies to expand its global reach, create unique and immersive experiences for fans, improve referee decision-making, and build insightful knowledge on their fanbase. By staying on the cutting edge of technology and embracing innovation, the NBA can continue to grow and thrive in the digital age.
