NBA app adds League Pass multiview

Multiview sports offerings continue to expand. The latest comes from the NBA app, which will allow for fans to watch up to four games simultaneously on TVs, mobile devices, and tablets via the league’s NBA League Pass out-of-market service. The app is also adding smart rewind capabilities, the ability to download games for offline viewing, a variety of game recap options, and AI-powered insights. Here’s more on that from a release:

The NBA today announced the launch of new features available to fans globally on the NBA App – the official home of basketball – for the 2024-25 season, showcasing the league’s dedication to innovation to enhance the fan viewing experience. The new elements are highlighted by multiview now available on connected devices, which gives fans the option to watch up to four games simultaneously on NBA League Pass – the league’s live game subscription service.

In addition, NBA League Pass subscribers worldwide will have the ability to customize their viewing experience and always be live when watching NBA games. Fans can smart rewind games from any point with key plays highlighted, download full games for offline viewing and access a range of game recap versions including “All Possessions,” “10-Minute Condensed,” “Key Highlights,” and more. Additionally, the app will offer interactive synced stats and analytics, ensuring fans experience the game in the app as if it is live no matter when they are watching.

Among the game-changing enhancements is “NBA Insights,” an AI-powered tool that leverages the power of Microsoft Azure. The feature uses AI rooted in deep basketball understanding to identify key narratives, player performances, and notable milestones, providing fans with a continuous feed of text-based updates that go beyond the box score to better contextualize what’s happening on the court. The league is also using Generative AI to localize content, offering game recaps in French, Portuguese and Spanish as well as translations for select original programming and live games.

Additionally, content on the NBA App throughout the season will incorporate “Dunk Score,” an AI-calculated grade for in-game dunks in real-time based on a breadth of factors including the player’s jumping distance, style and force at the rim, and defensive efforts from the opposing team.

This certainly adds to the way multiview is taking off elsewhere in sports . And beyond the new features (which also include a new algorithmic “Following” feed with content from users’ favorite teams and players, adding to last year’s emphasis on increased personalization , plus revamped “Game Stories” with pre-game analysis, highlights and interactive polls), the league is also continuing to add original content to the free-to-download NBA app. Its Pass The Rock series highlighting emerging stars is back as of Tuesday for a third season with a Rookie Year edition episode following 2023 NBA Draft No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama during his transition to the league and eventual selection as Rookie of the Year for the 2023-24 season.

Also, on Oct. 20, the NBA app will launch nine-part docuseries Raising 18 . That series, narrated by Boston Celtics’ center Al Horford, will cover the Celtics’ journey to the 2023-24 NBA title. And this follows past docuseries in the app, including Chasing History on the 2022-23 playoffs.

It’s a changing time for the NBA and many of its teams, especially around local broadcasts. Quite a few NBA teams have left Bally Sports and Bally Sports+ for combinations of over-the-air broadcasts and direct-to-consumer streaming services. But it’s notable that four of those DTC services are powered by the NBA app’s “Next Gen integrated digital platform” and available inside the app. Those are the offerings for the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, and Phoenix Suns. The Spectrum SportsNet+ service for the Lakers is also powered by this platform.

There are other teams going with different DTC solutions, but it’s significant that the NBA app and its technology base is playing a larger role here. And that, along with the new content and features here, reinforces the importance of this app to the league going forward. But it will be interesting to see where it goes beyond this season; the app is a product of NBA Digital, which is a joint NBA-TNT Sports venture. With it seeming likely (although still not fully settled ) that TNT Sports won’t be a NBA broadcaster after 2024-25, there may be some changes in how that’s set up down the road.

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