MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JANUARY 08: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks defends Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs during the second quarter at Fiserv Forum on January 08, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
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In recent years, the NBA has heavily expanded their catalogue of content within their own app, which holds both League Pass and NBA TV.
In many ways, the app has become a worldwide hub for basketball, making it a type of Netflix for fans across the globe.
International expansion
This season is no different, as the NBA has branched out, and will now air multiple international leagues, such as the NBL (Australia), LNB (France), the Bundesliga (Germany), the ACB (Spain), the CBA (China), and KBL (Korea).
These are huge gets for the NBA, particularly with France, Germany, and Spain functioning as the three clear-cut best leagues in Europe.
Germany, which has won both the world cup, and EuroBasket, over the past two years, has become a hotbed for basketball, with their aforementioned success inspiring kids to take the court, in an attempt to make their own journey towards stardom.
France, as we know, have reached the point where they’re producing multiple NBA players every single year, and are especially adept at developing agile big men.
Spain, which holds the ACB, remain the second best national league in the world, as the ACB is one of the most attractive leagues to play in if you’re a professional player.
That trio of leagues will only provide the NBA App with a major injection of quality content, and could be a crucial stepping stone in providing European fans with a newfound sense of appreciation of the NBA brand.
(The timing of the above isn’t random, as the NBA is looking to make its own league on the continent.)
Expanded content
The app will also feature Future Stars Now, which will showcase top U.S. high school basketball tournaments, in an attempt to provide the viewer with a glimpse of future NBA stars.
This is all additional content to the 60 games, which will air on NBA TV, as well as WNBA coverage, G League coverage, and a continuation of BAL (Basketball Africa League) coverage.
Also being introduced this season will be podcasts from well-known NBA analysts. No Ceilings, Thinking Basketball, The Athletic’s NBA Daily, and the Front Office Show, will all feature on the app.
The inclusion of podcasts is a clever play by the NBA, as the league is well-aware of how strong a market there is for NBA coverage from non-official league sources. As a fan inclusion, this is a strong get.
However, one of the biggest bets this season will be the re-imagination of NBA TV, which is now fully in the hands of the NBA, as opposed Turner Sports.
The league is loading up the channel with game coverage, studio segments, original programming, with The Association launching as the channel’s new flagpole program. It will feature, among others, former NBA All-Star John Wall, Rudy Gay, and reporter Chris Haynes, and will air as a weeknight primetime show.
Overall, the league is making a strong statement – and a global push – with their new program presentation.