Microsoft Is Teaming Up With The NBA To Broadcast Games

Microsoft and the NBA have teamed up in order to create a new, more personalized way of broadcasting with machine learning and AI to tailor the experience to what the fans really want.

Live NBA matches will be streamed on Microsoft Azure, with personalized real-time stats overlays. Clips from historical video archives will also be available, along with a reward system for viewers who participate online. The NBA also wants to create an easier way for fans to catch up on their favorite teams, without having to search through all the latest scores, highlights and games.

“Our goal, working with Microsoft, is to create customized content that allows fans — whether they are in an NBA arena or watching from anywhere around the world — to immerse themselves in all aspects of the game and engage directly with our teams and players,” says NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

Those who have the NBA League Pass subscription service will be able to view this new broadcasting system. The new platform will begin with the 2020-21 NBA season, launching with new gaming elements and rewards with fans earning loyalty points simply for watching on the platform, which could potentially be used for discounts on merchandise, tickets, or exclusive content according to Variety.

Tiered rewards, badges, personal achievements and streaks will also be included in the system. The AI will be monitoring the system live, so for example if a player breaks a record live on stream, the digital service will announce this and show a list of clips of other players who had previously held that recond.

With this deal Microsoft has been made the “Official Artificial Intelligence Partner” for the WNBA, NBA G League, and USA Basketball, along with becoming an associate partner for all future events.

In other NBA news, when the current NBA season was cut short due to the pandemic, the biggest players took to NBA 2K to raise money for charity and decide the season victor.