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NBC Bets Big on NBA, Unveils Immersive Experiences to Woo Fans
9 Oct
Summary
- NBC to host custom LED basketball court and pop-up at Rockefeller Plaza
- Appearances by NBC personalities and NBA legends to generate interest
- NBC paying $2.5 billion annually for new 11-year NBA rights deal
In the lead-up to the upcoming NBA season, NBC is making a major push to engage fans and draw viewers to its new basketball coverage. The media conglomerate, which recently secured an 11-year, $2.5 billion per year rights deal with the NBA, is unveiling a series of immersive events and activations to generate excitement.
Next week, NBC will open a custom LED basketball half-court at its 30 Rockefeller Plaza headquarters in New York City. The display will feature 30 pieces of team-inspired basketball artwork, and will host a variety of appearances by NBC personalities, including Maria Taylor, Michael Bublé, and several NBC News anchors. NBA legends such as John Starks, Ron Harper, and Joakim Noah will also make appearances to interact with fans.
Additionally, on October 16th, NBC Sports will host a one-day-only vintage merchandise pop-up in Los Angeles, where fans can purchase limited "NBA on NBC" gear from New Era at prices reflecting the network's previous NBA rights reign from 1990 to 2002.
The goal of these events is to not only rekindle interest among longtime NBA fans, but also to attract a broader audience, including younger viewers and cord-cutters, to NBC's new basketball coverage. By leveraging its broad reach across entertainment programming, NBC hopes to introduce the sport to more casual fans who may have drifted away in recent years.
