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National Basketball Association (NBA) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) announce new multi-year partnership to power the next era of basketball innovation

Published

6 months ago

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basketball

A real-time alert system within Play Finder will enable commentators to instantly provide historical context and strategic insights, making every live game more engaging, educational, and insightful for viewers

NEW YORK, United States of America, October 1, 2025/APO Group/ —

  • AWS to Become the Official Cloud and Cloud AI Partner of the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, Basketball Africa League and NBA Take-Two Media –
  • New Cloud AI Platform, Built on AWS, to Power League-wide Innovation and Bring New Level of Access to NBA and WNBA Fans –

The National Basketball Association (NBA) (www.NBA.com) and Amazon Web Services (AWS) today announced (https://apo-opa.co/3KQ0bhl) a multi-year partnership to power the league’s next generation of innovation as AWS will become the Official Cloud and Cloud AI Partner of the NBA and its affiliate leagues, including the WNBA, NBA G League, Basketball Africa League and NBA Take-Two Media.

As part of the partnership, the NBA and AWS will launch NBA Inside the Game powered by AWS, a new basketball intelligence platform that will turn billions of data points into compelling insights and interactive experiences, reimagining how fans engage with the game of basketball worldwide.

Built on AWS’s industry-leading AI infrastructure, the platform will introduce a suite of features that enhance live broadcasts and elevate fan experiences across the NBA App, NBA.com, and the league’s social channels.

“Partnering with AWS provides us with an opportunity to elevate the live game experience through innovation and offer fans a deeper understanding of the game of basketball for years to come,” said NBA Executive Vice President and Head of Media Operations and Technology Ken DeGennaro. “AWS has a proven track record of delivering unique statistical insights and offering transformative experiences that will resonate with NBA fans around the world.”

“At AWS, we’re excited by the NBA’s vision to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sports,” said AWS Vice President of Professional Services & Agentic AI Francessca Vasquez. “This partnership will showcase how cloud and AI can reimagine the game of basketball – from generating new insights to creating experiences that bring fans closer to the game they love.

Together, we’re delivering technology that not only enhances live broadcasts and digital platforms, but also transforms how players, coaches, and fans understand basketball.”

Partnering with AWS provides us with an opportunity to elevate the live game experience through innovation and offer fans a deeper understanding of the game of basketball for years

AI-Powered Advanced Stats

The NBA will leverage AWS’s AI capabilities to provide fans with live stats and comprehensive analytics during games. This new advanced statistics platform processes the NBA’s player tracking data, which analyzes the movements of 29 data points per player using machine learning and AI to contextualize in-game developments and generate real-time insights. Fans can deepen their understanding of the game by accessing new statistics via the NBA App, NBA.com and during live NBA games, including during NBA on Prime broadcasts.

Throughout the 2025-26 season, the NBA and AWS will introduce new AI-powered stats that capture aspects of basketball performance that have not been measured previously, starting with:

• Defensive Box Score: Reimagining Basketball’s Fundamental Metric Defensive Box Score quantifies individual defensive contributions that traditional statistics cannot measure. AI algorithms detect which defender is responsible for each offensive player in real-time. Once the primary defender is determined, the traditional box score can now be enhanced by identifying the defender at the time each stat was recorded. Additional new metrics like ball pressure, double teams and defensive switches can now be viewed and tallied as well.

• Shot Difficulty: The Science of Shooting 
Shot Difficulty transcends traditional make-or-miss statistics to evaluate every aspect of each shot attempt. The difficulty of attempted shots will be quantified with new stats such as Expected Field Goal % which takes into account various factors such as the shooter’s orientation and setup, defensive contest details related to pressure, interference, and each player’s positioning on the court. This new statistic gives fans a deeper appreciation for the skill and strategy behind every scoring attempt.

• Gravity: Quantifying the Invisible Impact 
Gravity showcases what coaches and analysts have observed for years – how certain players create advantages for teammates simply by being on the court, even without touching the ball. This new stat measures the level of attention a player receives from the defense, including how closely they’re guarded with or without the ball, to quantify the amount of space they create for their teammates. This revolutionary system processes optical tracking data 60 times per second, using custom neural networks to analyze how defenders react to specific players, while factoring in real-time game context and historical data.

Transforming Basketball Intelligence

NBA Inside the Game powered by AWS will also feature a first-of-its-kind technology called “Play Finder,” which uses AI to analyze and understand player movements across thousands of games.  Utilizing AWS services such as Amazon Bedrock (https://apo-opa.co/3Kx1oKs) and Amazon SageMaker (https://apo-opa.co/4mHodbG), the feature will enable instant search and retrieval of similar plays, laying the foundation for future generative AI integrations built on player tracking data.  Play Finder will help fans and broadcasters learn common offensive strategies and explore deeper insights by combining play results with advanced analytics.

A real-time alert system within Play Finder will enable commentators to instantly provide historical context and strategic insights, making every live game more engaging, educational, and insightful for viewers.  NBA teams will have direct access to the ML models powering Play Finder to improve their front office and coaching workflows.

Future iterations of Play Finder will allow fans to explore basketball strategy with unprecedented depth on the NBA App.

Global Fan Engagement

The NBA App, NBA.com and NBA League Pass, delivering year-round NBA coverage and programming to fans around the world, will run on AWS. Through this partnership with AWS, the NBA will accelerate basketball’s growth worldwide by offering fans new and unique opportunities to understand team strategy and the concepts that lead to execution on the court. Additionally, the NBA and AWS will deliver in-language content and personalized experiences to fans across platforms.

The NBA’s partnership with AWS broadens its strategic relationship with Amazon. This season marks the start of Prime Video’s landmark 11-year media rights agreement (https://apo-opa.co/4mHXOdS) with 66 regularseason NBA matchups streaming on Prime Video globally, and a suite of new interactive features set to debut.  Prime Video will also serve as the strategic partner and third-party global subscriptions store destination for NBA League Pass, offering streaming of live and on-demand games in the U.S. and internationally.  The first night of the NBA on Prime will feature a doubleheader on Friday, Oct. 24 during the first week of the season, with the Celtics visiting the Knicks (7:30 p.m. ET) and the Lakers hosting the Timberwolves (10 p.m. ET) in two rematches from the NBA Playoffs 2025.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of National Basketball Association (NBA).

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Record 15 Marketing and Merchandising Partners to Support 2026 Basketball Africa League Season

Published

1 week ago

on

March 31, 2026

By

Africa

The BAL’s sixth season will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories, including all 54 countries in Africa

DAKAR, Senegal, March 27, 2026/APO Group/ —– Five New Partners Join for Sixth BAL Season Tipping Off Today in South Africa –

 

– BAL Games Will Reach Fans in More Than 200 Countries –

The Basketball Africa League (BAL) (www.BAL.NBA.com) today announced that a record 15 marketing and merchandising partners, including five new partners, will support the 2026 BAL season that tips off today at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa.

New partners Amazon Web Services; FLEXX; PUMA; Qatar Foundation; and South African Tourism join returning Foundational Partners Rwanda Development Board and Wilson as well as Official Partners AB InBev, Afreximbank, Air Senegal, Hyundai, RwandAir, the French Embassy of Senegal, ServiceNow and Wave.

The BAL’s sixth season will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories, including all 54 countries in Africa.  Returning free-to-air and pay TV broadcast partners in Africa include Canal+ (pan-Africa), Rwanda Broadcasting Agency, RTS and 2STV (Senegal), SNRT (Morocco), TV5 Monde (pan-Africa) and ZAP TV (Angola and Mozambique).  BAL games and programming will also air on NBA TV globally, the NBA FAST Channel on leading FAST platforms including Samsung, Roku and Amazon Fire TV in the U.S., select FAST platforms in Canada and Mexico, Tencent Video and Tencent Sports in China, TSN and RDS Direct in Canada, and through livestreaming on the NBA App and NBA.com for NBA ID members.

 

 

 

“This incredible roster of new and returning partners reflects the sustained growth and momentum around the BAL and the African sports industry more broadly,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall.  “We look forward to working with these amazing companies and organizations to engage BAL fans across the continent and around the world in new and creative ways throughout our sixth season.”

 

Below are highlights of each marketing and merchandising partners’ efforts:

 

  • AB InBev returns as the Official Beer Partner of the BAL through its Castle Lite and Budweiser brands.
  • Afreximbank will again serve as an Official Partner of the BAL4HER and BAL Future Pros programs in each host city, which provide professional development training for African youth pursuing careers in sport.
  • Air Senegal returns as Official Partner of the Sahara Conference group phase from Friday, April 24 – Sunday, May 3 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat, Morocco, supporting guest travel from and returning to Senegal.
  • Amazon Web Services will serve as Official Technology Provider (cloud computing, cloud AI and cloud machine learning) of the BAL.
  • FLEXX will serve as an Official Off-Court Lifestyle and Team Fanwear Supplier of the BAL.
  • Hyundai returns as the Official Car Partner of the Kalahari Conference group phase from March 27 – Sunday, April 5 in Pretoria, featuring Hyundai Santa Fe and Hyundai Alcazar displays at the SunBet Arena and Fan Zone.
  • PUMA joins as the league’s Official Outfitter, supplying all official BAL team, fan and referee apparel, including game uniforms, warm-up gear, practice wear, accessories, and branded tops for participants in the league’s social impact and player programming.
  • Qatar Foundation will serve as an Official Community Partner of the BAL by supporting a variety of social impact and court development initiatives across all three host cities.
  • RwandAir returns as Official Airline Partner of the BAL.
  • Rwanda Development Board returns as a Foundational Partner of the BAL.
  • The French Embassy of Senegal will serve an Official Partner of the BAL School Tournament and International Basketball Day in Senegal, with more details to be announced at a later date.
  • ServiceNow will serve as Official Digital Transformation Partner of the BAL and support several networking and stakeholder engagement initiatives throughout the season.
  • South African Tourism will serve as Official Tourism Collaborator of the Kalahari Conference group phase.
  • Wave returns as an Official Marketing Partner of the BAL, Presenting Partner of the BAL4HER Elevate Camp, the BAL Rapatak Tournament, the BAL Tournoi des Quartiers Tournament, and the BAL Court Regeneration Event, and Official Partner of the BAL Business Brunch.
  • Wilson returns as a Foundational Partner and Official Game Ball Partner of the BAL.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Basketball Africa League (BAL).

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FIFA World Cup 2026 is predicted to drive $10.5 billion surge in ad spend but ad impact diminishes amid a shifting media landscape

Published

3 weeks ago

on

March 20, 2026

By

FIFA
  • The World Cup still drives huge audiences, but weaker linear reach
  • Attention is shifting to the conversation around games
  • Late night matches provide category opportunities

WARC Global Advertising Trends: FIFA World Cup 2026

19 March 2026 – The 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup will be the biggest in the tournament’s history, hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States with more matches than ever before.

Yet, despite large audiences, rising rights fees, and expanding sponsorship packages, the World Cup’s measurable contribution to ad growth appears to be weakening, finds WARC Media in its latest global advertising trends study.

While the event is expected to inject $10.5bn into the ad market, advertisers are no longer competing within a single commercial surface but are having to engage with fans across diverse touchpoints beyond traditional broadcast rights.

Alex Brownsell, Head of Content, WARC Media, said: “This World Cup is no longer just about live matches—brands will engage with fans across touchpoints before, during and after matches have concluded. Media plans will include platforms that benefit from the conversation about the World Cup without the burden of bidding for rights – from creator content to podcasts, turning conversations around the games into powerful opportunities for connection and impact.”

WARC Media’s Global Ad Trends: FIFA World Cup 2026 report examines how the World Cup has become a high-visibility event whose commercial impact is increasingly fragmented.

Diminished advertising impact

The 2026 FIFA World Cup promises record-breaking global audiences and a $40.9 billion boost to global GDP, yet its direct impact on ad spend growth is diminishing. WARC Media forecasts show a modest $10.5 billion uplift into the global ad market during the quarter the event takes place, marking a 1.1% incremental gain versus the Qatar World Cup in 2022. In contrast, the 2018 World Cup in Russia drove a $12.6bn (+2.8%) ad market boost.

Annual advertising spend growth during World Cup years is inconsistent, driven more by broader economic cycles than tournament cycles. Even for host markets, the tournament does not guarantee market-level acceleration or outperformance.

In the US – where soccer competes with popular domestic sports – the World Cup’s effect on ad investment is modest and inconsistent. In most positive years, the impact has been between 0.4-1% of total ad spend.

Annual ad spend for Mexico, and a similar pattern is visible in Canada, shows no consistent pattern of acceleration in World Cup years. WARC Media’s forecast of approximately +4% for Mexico, is positive, but not exceptional for a host market.

Shifting audience consumption

Linear TV audiences are increasingly in decline as multiplatform consumption rises with expanded digital viewing. Qatar 2022 reached 2.87 billion people for at least one minute, yet linear reach fell 11.9% versus 2018. Multiplatform consumption rose as digital viewing expanded, particularly in China and India.

Audience fragmentation will be further highlighted during this upcoming tournament as attention shifts beyond the games to the conversations around games. TikTok has become a FIFA partner, and will show behind-the-scenes footage; YouTube, also a preferred platform, will stream live matches from media partners; while platforms such as Netflix are looking to monetise the conversation around the games through video podcasts.

While tournaments drive TV and OOH revenue, premium pricing often displaces regular advertisers, with gains reflecting spend redistribution rather than market expansion.

Football remains the world’s most popular sport, with 51% of global respondents identifying as fans. During Qatar 2022 viewing levels were highest in Africa, Latin America, and MENA, with engagement far above global averages, while Europe’s largest audiences are concentrated in the UK and Germany.

In the US, 37% of Americans expect their interest in football to increase over the next 18 months, supporting positive momentum ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Category opportunities beckon from late-night kick-off times

With many FIFA World Cup 2026 matches airing outside peak viewing hours in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, live broadcast advertising opportunities may be limited. In WesternEurope, less than half (42.3%) of games will take place during daytime hours, dropping to just over a third (34.6%) in China.

However, this late-night schedule may yield new opportunities for non-rights holders to capitalise on curated World Cup content with highlights and commentary like podcasts, social media, and publishing.

It also presents unique opportunities for brands in restricted categories such as quick-service food delivery in the UK, where high fat sugar and salt ads are now subject to restrictions on pre-9pm airing.

WARC Media subscribers can read the report in full. A WARC podcast on the findings outlined in the report will be available from 31 March.

Global Ad Trends, part of WARC Media, is a quarterly report which draws on WARC’s dataset of advertising and media intelligence to take a holistic view on current industry developments.

 

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Basketball Africa League Names PUMA as League’s Official Outfitter Ahead of 2026 Season

Published

3 weeks ago

on

March 18, 2026

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The collaboration, which will begin with the 2026 BAL season that tips off on Friday, March 27 at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa, will see PUMA supply all official BAL team, fan and referee apparel

 

Our collaboration with PUMA reflects our shared commitment to elevating the African sports industry and basketball in particular

DAKAR, Senegal, March 17, 2026/APO Group/ —

  • ​PUMA to Supply Official BAL Team, Fan and Referee Apparel
  • Sixth BAL Season Tips Off on March 27 in South Africa; Tickets on Sale Now

 

The Basketball Africa League (BAL) (https://BAL.NBA.com) and PUMA, one of the world’s leading sports brands, today announced a multiyear collaboration that makes PUMA the Official Outfitter of the BAL.

The collaboration, which will begin with the 2026 BAL season that tips off on Friday, March 27 at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, South Africa, will see PUMA supply all official BAL team, fan and referee apparel, including game uniforms, warm-up gear, practice wear, accessories, and branded tops for participants in the league’s social impact and player programming.

The fanwear, which reflects the energy, diversity and creativity of African basketball culture, will be available this season at BAL arenas, the BAL’s e-commerce store at https://BALStore.NBA.com, PUMA’s e-commerce store at https://za.PUMA.com, and at the three NBA Stores and two PUMA stores in South Africa.

“Our collaboration with PUMA reflects our shared commitment to elevating the African sports industry and basketball in particular,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall.  “PUMA’s innovation, creativity and deep connection to the continent’s sports ecosystem and our game make them an ideal partner to help us continue to raise the standard of African basketball, enhance the experience for teams, players and fans, and drive the BAL’s continued growth.”

“The collaboration with the BAL is an important step in PUMA’s brand commitment to growing the game worldwide,” said PUMA Vice President Sports Marketing & Sport Licensing, Johan Adamsson. “We look forward to bringing our performance technology to the forefront of the game and connecting with the many BAL fans globally.”

PUMA joins the BAL’s roster of partners that also includes Foundational Partner Rwanda Development Board and Official Partners Afreximbank, Air Senegal, Amazon Web Services, Castle Lite and RwandAir.

Tickets for the Kalahari Conference group phase are on sale now at Ticketmaster.za (https://apo-opa.co/4db9e95). Tickets for Playoffs and Finals are on sale at BAL.NBA.com/Ticket (https://apo-opa.co/4uxRMBF). Fans who purchase tickets will also have free access to the BAL Fan Zone at each arena.

Additional information about the 2026 BAL season will be announced in the coming days.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Basketball Africa League (BAL).

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