• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

My TechDecisions

  • Best of Tech Decisions
  • Topics
    • Video
    • Audio
    • Mobility
    • Unified Communications
    • IT Infrastructure
    • Network Security
    • Physical Security
    • Facility
    • Compliance
  • RFP Resources
  • Resources
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Project of the Week
  • About Us
    SEARCH
IT Infrastructure, Managed Service, Mobility, News

Microsoft Strikes Deal to Become Official Technology Partner of NBA

Microsoft will become the official technology partner for the NBA in a deal that includes cloud services, analytics and devices.

April 17, 2020 Zachary Comeau Leave a Comment

Microsoft NBA Deal

Although the NBA regular season is temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, that isn’t stopping the league from bolstering its technology offerings with one of the largest names in the business.

Announced Thursday, Microsoft is expanding its technology market share in major U.S. sports leagues with a multi-year deal to be the official technology partner for the NBA, a partnership that includes providing artificial intelligence, cloud services and Surface devices.

The WNBA, NBA G League, and USA Basketball will all benefit from the deal starting with the 2020-2021 season — the status of which is up in the air due to COVID-19.

Microsoft and NBA Digital will create a new direct-to-consumer platform on Microsoft Azure — the company’s cloud computer service — that will utilize machine learning and artificial intelligence in game broadcasts and other offerings.

The platform aims to change how fans engage with the league by customizing and localizing experiences for the league’s global fanbase, including nearly 2 billion social media followers.

Aside from live and on-demand game broadcasts through Azure, Microsoft will bring the NBA’s trove of data sources and historical video archive to fans through machine learning, cognitive search and advanced data analytics to create a more personalized fan experience.

In addition to fan experiences, the partnership will also bring new insights and analytics to coaches and broadcasters.

Per the announcement, Microsoft is now the entitlement partner of the NBA Draft Combine staring next season and an associate partner of other future events, like the NBA and WNBA All-Star Games, Summer League.

Microsoft was already a major partner of the NFL in similar ways, although that partnership includes the heavy use and marketing of the Surface tablets and now the use of the company’s flagship collaboration platform Teams.

Last month, Google and Major League Baseball announced a deal for Google Cloud to become the league’s provider of cloud-based data and analytics services. The MLB previously worked with Amazon Web Services in a similar capacity.

If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our digital newsletters!

Tagged With: Artificial Intelligence, Azure, Microsoft, NBA

Related Content:

  • data breach Nearly 900 Schools Impacted by National Student Clearinghouse…
  • Rearview shot of two young designers giving each other a fist bump in an office, on display is Crestron desk scheduling device Crestron Introduces Desk Q and Desk Touch Scheduling…
  • CI SSI cover Commercial Integrator and Security Sales & Integration Magazines…
  • cyber-attack-skull Spike in Cyberattacks Exposes Vulnerabilities in University Security…

Free downloadable guide you may like:

  • Download TechDecisions' Blueprint Series report on Security Awareness now!Blueprint Series: Why Your Security Awareness Program is Probably Falling Short

    Learn about the evolution of phishing attacks and best practices for security awareness programs to ensure your organization is properly prepared to defend against them in this report from TechDecisions' Blueprint Series.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get the FREE Tech Decisions eNewsletter

Sign up Today!

Latest Downloads

Download TechDecisions' Blueprint Series report on Security Awareness now!
Blueprint Series: Why Your Security Awareness Program is Probably Falling Short

Learn about the evolution of phishing attacks and best practices for security awareness programs to ensure your organization is properly prepared t...

Workplace Collaboration Tools for Corporate Spaces
Workplace Collaboration Tools for Corporate Spaces

From lobbies and shared spaces to conference rooms and multipurpose facilities, you need high-performing AV technology to effectively share informa...

ChatGPT, generative AI, enterprise, workplace
Blueprint Series: ChatGPT and Generative AI in the Workplace

This latest release of the TechDecisions Blueprint Series explores the new phenomenon of tools such as ChatGPT and how IT leaders should go about d...

View All Downloads

Would you like your latest project featured on TechDecisions as Project of the Week?

Apply Today!
Sharp Microsoft Collaboration HQ Logo

Learn More About the
Windows Collaboration Display

More from Our Sister Publications

Get the latest news about AV integrators and Security installers from our sister publications:

Commercial IntegratorSecurity Sales

AV-iQ

Footer

TechDecisions

  • Home
  • Welcome to TechDecisions
  • Subscribe to the Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise with Us
  • Comment Guidelines
  • RSS Feeds
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin

Free Technology Guides

FREE Downloadable resources from TechDecisions provide timely insight into the issues that IT, A/V, and Security end-users, managers, and decision makers are facing in commercial, corporate, education, institutional, and other vertical markets

View all Guides
TD Project of the Week

Get your latest project featured on TechDecisions Project of the Week. Submit your work once and it will be eligible for all upcoming weeks.

Enter Today!
Emerald Logo
ABOUTCAREERSAUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERSDO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATIONTERMS OF USEPRIVACY POLICY

© 2023 Emerald X, LLC. All rights reserved.