The NBA is using the Finals to distribute a "new series of Snapchat Shows, professionally produced mini videos exclusively for the app’s young user base," according to Kurt Wagner of RECODE. NBA cinematographer Anthony Kuzviwanza is filming "everything from celeb shoutouts to players preparing in the locker room" to be used on the social media outlet. Snapchat sells ads and the two sides "split what they bring in, but Shows also allow the NBA to reach younger audiences who may not watch its games on TV." Snapchat gets more "professionally produced video and the kind of exclusive material Snapchat hopes advertisers want." The NBA has "created Stories for Snapchat in the past, but it started doing these three- to five-minute Shows on Snapchat for the first time during the NBA Finals." NBA VP/Emerging Media Bob Carney said, "We already know we have a built-in audience (on Snapchat), so the goal was to kind of take advantage of that new medium that they’ve built." The NBA allowed Wagner to shadow Kuzviwanza during Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, where in the lead up to tipoff he "shot video" of FC Barcelona F Neymar and also got video of celebrity chef Guy Fieri. Wagner: "Getting celebrities on camera is key, especially for Snapchat." Wagner noted getting a celeb to "say a few words directly into the camera -- directly into your phone -- is one of the cool ways to separate Snapchat from more traditional media coverage." Kuzviwanza sent "footage to a crew in New Jersey throughout the night for edits." The plan was to have the "final three- to five-minute-long show ready first thing Tuesday morning, but it could go earlier." The NBA ended up "publishing the three-minute, 38-second Show late Monday night, less than 24 hours after Game 2" (RECODE.net, 6/6).
SMILE, YOU'RE ON CAMERA: In L.A., Tania Ganguli writes the Finals so far "haven’t offered much drama on the court," but there are moments within each game that "capture the imagination of those watching." Some moments have "celebrated spectacular plays, some have ridiculed poor ones, and some have taken advantage of very visible celebrities." The first viral moment of the Finals involved Rihanna and Warriors F Kevin Durant. The singer "heckled Durant during the game, and Durant seemed to stare in her direction after scoring." At one point, Rihanna "stood up from her courtside seat and bowed" to Cavaliers F LeBron James. Game 2 offered a photo from the broadcast that showed Warriors G Stephen Curry "lying near the bench with a towel draped over his head." Curry was also "involved in a much-shared video clip" where he "showed off his ballhandling skills, causing James to have to chase him around the court before finishing at the rim to score." That clip "became a signature image" (L.A. TIMES, 6/7). In Cleveland, Kevin Kleps noted to get an idea of "how strong the NBA's reach is on social," the Cavaliers have "more combined followers on the three major platforms" than the Cowboys and Yankees. Kleps: "The stars certainly help, and the NBA has more of them than any other league" (CRAINSCLEVELAND.com, 6/6).
