What's Happening?
The NBA has entered into a multi-year partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to become the Official Cloud and Cloud AI Partner of the NBA and its affiliate leagues, including the WNBA, NBA G League, and Basketball Africa League. This collaboration will introduce 'NBA Inside the Game,' a new basketball intelligence platform powered by AWS. The platform aims to transform billions of data points into engaging insights and interactive experiences for fans. Utilizing AWS's AI infrastructure, the platform will enhance live broadcasts and elevate fan experiences across the NBA App, NBA.com, and the league’s social channels. The partnership will leverage AWS's expertise in sports analytics, previously demonstrated in collaborations with the NFL, F1, and Bundesliga.
Why It's Important?
This partnership signifies a major technological advancement in how basketball is consumed and understood by fans. By integrating AWS's AI capabilities, the NBA aims to provide fans with real-time statistics and comprehensive analytics during games, enhancing their understanding of the sport. This move could potentially increase fan engagement and broaden the NBA's global reach. The introduction of new AI-powered statistics like Defensive Box Score, Shot Difficulty, and Gravity will offer deeper insights into player performance and game strategy, potentially influencing how the game is analyzed by coaches, players, and analysts. The collaboration also marks a strategic expansion of the NBA's relationship with Amazon, aligning with Prime Video's new media rights agreement to stream NBA games globally.
What's Next?
Throughout the 2025-26 season, the NBA and AWS plan to roll out new AI-powered stats and features, starting with Defensive Box Score, Shot Difficulty, and Gravity. The 'Play Finder' feature will also be introduced, allowing fans and broadcasters to explore basketball strategies with unprecedented depth. This feature will enable instant search and retrieval of similar plays, enhancing the educational and entertainment value of live broadcasts. The NBA's partnership with AWS is expected to accelerate the growth of basketball worldwide by offering fans new opportunities to understand team strategies and game execution. Additionally, Prime Video will debut new interactive features as part of its 11-year media rights agreement with the NBA.
