Key takeaways:
- The NBA’s growth shows that scaling digital content output and embracing new formats are key to enhancing the fan experience globally.
- Creator partnerships and localized content strategies help leagues expand reach and connect with diverse audiences across markets and platforms.
- AI-powered technologies enable hyper-personalized and real-time storytelling, making games more accessible and engaging for fans worldwide.
An all-time MVP race between three international players. One of the NBA’s most storied franchises became the first team to win 60 games just two seasons after losing 60 games. A perennial All-NBA player returned ten months after rupturing his Achilles tendon. And an especially compelling Rookie of the Year battle. The 2025-26 NBA regular season is in the books, and as usual, it generated plenty of storylines that fascinated audiences.
The result was another record-breaking year in terms of viewership and engagement across the globe, including some pretty significant milestones:
- In the US, NBA viewership for national TV games was up 89% from the 2024-5 season.
- European viewership for NBA games on Prime Video increased by 184% versus comparable games on linear TV last season.
- Viewership of NBA games was up 444% and 455% year-over-year in the UK and Germany, respectively.
- The league’s 10 most-viewed players recorded more than 15,3 billion views across social and digital channels
Such milestones can and should be attributed, first and foremost, to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama, the Detroit Pistons, Jayson Tatum, Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and every other player who helped shape the season’s stories. But they are also a reflection of something larger. At the heart of the NBA’s incredible success in the past few years is an unwavering commitment to enhancing the fan experience through digital content.
Reinventing the Content Model
This commitment evolved over time. Up until the 2015-16 season, the league was focused on creating a finite amount of highlights, game recaps, and player profiles. “It was like ‘here’s the content menu and this is what you get,” said Bob Carney, the NBA’s senior vice president of digital & social content. The strategy changed when the league adopted AI content creation, in what Carney called an “aha moment.”
AI-powered content creation enabled the NBA to produce an infinite amount of content and, just as important, remain flexible when it comes to format. This became evident when the league started utilizing AI-technology not only for automated game recaps, but also for content that goes against the grain. “We’re trying to focus on the net-new,” said Carney, “creating a lot of new programming that couldn’t possibly have existed before.”
A big chunk of this programming is coming from partnerships with content creators. The NBA established its official creator program all the way back in 2016, and has expanded its global pool of collaborators to over 200 this season. In recent years, the league has provided creators with thousands of hours of historical and current game footage, including access to an AI-enabled video editing suite.
“The idea here is that these creators will become like an extension of the league,“ said Carney, who noted how vital creators are for content diversity. “Over 45% of the consumption that we see on YouTube is coming from television screens, and therefore, the content needs to be longer. You need people who can create that longer-form content. If we can empower a very select group, it’s going to help us reach new fans globally.“
Speaking Every Fan’s Language
Another component of the NBA’s efforts to reach new fans globally is content localization. The league has been using generative AI to create voice-over commentary in multiple languages for game highlights, and deliver tailored content experiences at a global scale.
The technology relies on ground-breaking scripting capabilities and fine-tuned text-to-speech models. In a single workflow, an English-speaking highlight can become a Spanish, Japanese, or Arabic one, complete with authentic voice tones and synced emotion that make the language feel authentic and local.
According to the league, the next frontier is harnessing AI technologies to change how the game is presented. “One of the things we’re beginning to see is how we’re going to be able to, more than personalize, almost hyper-personalize, allowing people to experience the game in any way they want,” said Commissioner Adam Silver in his annual All-Star press conference. “And I think it’s going to make the game that much more accessible for fans on a global basis.”
Technology as the Gateway
For rights holders, the lesson is clear: making the game more accessible is no longer just about distribution; it’s about designing the right experiences. That means leveraging flexible formats, creator ecosystems, and localization to turn every game into a continuous stream of culturally relevant, personalized content that extends far beyond the live broadcast.
Making that vision operational at scale requires technology that can keep pace with modern sports storytelling. AI-powered content creation platforms enable organizations to generate, localize, and distribute content in real time, unlocking new formats and creative possibilities. This approach ensures that every storyline travels further, positioning leagues like the NBA to turn playoff drama into engagement and attract even broader audiences.
Actionable Insights:
– Expand your content mix: move beyond standard highlights by experimenting with new formats and creator-led storytelling to increase reach and engagement.
– Localize at scale: adapt content for different languages and markets to make your storytelling more relevant and accessible to global audiences.
– Use AI to personalize experiences: automate content creation and tailor outputs to deliver real-time stories across platforms.
