The NBA is expanding its global reach with its return.

• This year, the NBA anticipates a surge in global viewership with fans from 214 countries tuning in to watch the new season.
• The league is introducing a three-part strategy to attract international viewers, including broadcasting games during peak hours in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
• This season, a record number of 125 international players are on opening-night rosters.

The National Basketball Association is experiencing unprecedented international interest as its new season begins this week.

This season, the NBA anticipates that over 200 countries will have fans watching games in more than 50 languages, with a substantial rise in international market interest compared to the previous season.

The NBA expects more growth in global business revenue this year, which accounts for about 10% of total team and league revenue, according to a source.

The league is introducing a three-pronged approach to meet the increasing international demand, such as airing games during primetime in specific global markets, enhancing children's programs, and intensifying its focus on specific regions, including India.

The NBA is making it easy for international fans to follow the league and their favorite teams and players through various platforms, including linear television, social media, and the NBA App, as stated by Matt Brabants, senior vice president and head of international content partnerships for the NBA.

The surge in international interest is mainly due to the increase in international players participating in the league this season, as stated by Samantha Engelhardt, the NBA's senior vice president of global strategy and innovation.

This season, the NBA has a record number of international players join opening-night rosters, with 125 players from 40 countries and territories across six continents. Among them are fan favorites such as Nikola Jokić of Serbia and Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece. Additionally, the league's No. 1 draft pick this year, Victor Wembanyama of France, has been surging in popularity as fans and experts alike call him a once-in-a-generation talent.

Engelhardt stated that the significant interest in their home countries and worldwide is due to their TV viewership growth in several European countries last season. It's no surprise that those countries are consistent with where we're seeing the great European players playing and driving interest in their region.

The NBA games on TV in Serbia experienced a 50% increase in viewership last season due to Jokić's impressive play, which drew the country's attention as he led the Nuggets to their first championship.

This season, NBA teams have at least one international player, and 15 NBA All-Stars on opening-night rosters are international players.

What’s the NBA’s international plan?

Engelhardt stated that the NBA is employing a three-faceted strategy in response to its changing audience.

Basketball Without Borders and NBA Basketball School are programs that the league has implemented to provide opportunities for children worldwide to participate in basketball. The former program has been highly successful, with around 40 international players this season having participated in it before reaching the professional level.

The NBA is providing a more accessible basketball experience to international fans through events, merchandise, branded attractions, and live games, according to Engelhardt. To improve the viewing experience for fans in Europe, the league has introduced an initiative called “NBA Saturdays and Sundays” to air more games in European primetime, as well as the Middle East and Africa, said Brabants.

The NBA's international strategy aims to increase accessibility and localization of its programming, particularly on social media, with nearly 70% of its followers being from outside the U.S. In Brazil, Prime Video, the official media partner of the NBA, will exclusively stream 123 live regular season games. Additionally, the partnership includes a viewing party of the season kickoff at the NBA Store Arena in Sao Paulo, a 1,500 square meter retail space that sells NBA products and hosts interactive experiences and events.

The NBA is targeting specific markets, including India, where it has partnered with Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh to promote the cultural significance of basketball in the country. Additionally, the league has over 400 international branded stores, such as Brazil’s NBA Park, which opened last November.

The NBA's strategy for its next media deal involves expanding its international reach through global television and media broadcasts.

Several Asian markets, including India and the Philippines, experienced unprecedented digital and social consumption, with India surpassing 100 million unique viewers across linear television, social media, and digital media platforms, and the Philippines generating a record 923 million engagements across localized social media accounts, according to Brabants.

Despite a previous uneasy relationship with China, the NBA is still focusing on the Chinese market and finding ways to make programming accessible.

The league is evaluating the requirements of its international fans as interest in North American basketball grows, following the most competitive regular season in its history, according to Brabants.