How The NBA Can Grow Globally With Technology

Jan 20, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; General view of NBA Dream Big logo on the court for Martin Luther King Jr. Day before the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards during the first half at Verizon Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Since David Stern’s passing of the baton, new commissioner Adam Silver has had an impressive start to his tenure as the face of the NBA. From his swift and thorough reprimands (see Donald Sterling) to his overall sense of genuine motions, commissioner Silver has already made his mark on the league. In fact, one of the most indicative illustrations of Silver’s character came during the 2014 NBA draft. Baylor star Isaiah Austin was projected by many to be a first round pick; however, less than a week before the draft Austin found out he had come down with a career ending disease, Marfan Syndrom. In efforts to alleviate the emotional damage from the unfortunate sequence of events, commissioner Silver made the heartwarming decision to invite Austin to the event and draft him as a member of the NBA. Incidents such as this reflect the commissioners innovative approach to all situations.

Out of every league to-do item Stern and now Silver have facilitated, perhaps one of the most significant has been the international expansion of the NBA. The league has heavily emphasized globally branding the game and has taken active steps in ensuring accessibility for both players and spectators from all over the world.

The NBA started the 2014-2015 season by announcing that a record 101 international players from 37 countries and territories held spots on opening night rosters. The defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs led the way with an astounding nine international players. Notable perennial big names on the list include Dirk Nowitzki, the Gasol brothers (Pau and Marc), and the Spurs ‘Big 3’ – Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan.

In an article by Steve McCaskill from Tech Week Europe, Silver explains that social media is the way forward for the league. “If you round up statistically, one hundred percent of our fans don’t go to games, they experience it through some form of media.” It’s not feasible to expect fans from other countries to attend games on a regular basis, if at all. Social media serves as a liaison between the product and consumers. Cheers and boos throughout games can be transmitted vicariously through platforms such as Twitter, creating an in game feel with each virtual interaction.

But beyond social media there are numerous opportunities for new technologies to help the league expand its global audience.

Take for example, virtual reality (VR). Since most of the consumers can’t make it to the game, this type of innovation brings the action to them. By wearing a trendy headset, the viewer could theoretically receive a three-dimensional simulation of the game with in-arena type interaction. Numerous different versions of this product exist and all at varying prices. Of course more advanced features come at a higher cost, such as the Oculus Rift.

The Rift is a unique device that employs 360 degree perspectives with 1080p visuals, as well as supercharged head tracking, which allows for the detection of infinitesimally small movements. Each move, from the crossover to the three point jumper to even the dunk is magnified tenfold. If given access, prospective international fans could fully appreciate every aspect of the game, including the size, strength, and speed of the elite players such as LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, and Steph Curry, as well as a plethora of the other ultra athletic players the league has to offer.

Another innovation similar to the virtual reality piece also intensifies the drama of sporting events. Tabbed the Buttkicker and originally employed by the San Jose Sharks of the NHL, this piece transforms your couch into a rumble seat using advanced 4D sports technology. With the insertion of a wireless component to one of the bottom four corners of the couch, impacts are transmitted from participating players to the couch.

If implemented by the NBA, the types of impacts would be different, as they would shift from individuals crashing into the boards in hockey to mid air collisions at the rim or hard screens set in a pick and roll. Members of the target markets who have little to no experience with the league could quickly develop an interest and subsequently lead to awareness spreading on a global basis.

The NBA should also look into other projects for global growth – though they may not be as lifelike as the aforementioned virtual reality and 4D tech pieces. A system called SAP is ideal for this type of expansion because it provides global audiences with engagement, convenience, and recognition, as well as personalized interactions.

SAP uses the NBA website (NBA.com/Stats) as a facilitator of information. Through the site, it supplies users with in-depth statistics, including box scores from every game since 1946, advanced shooting charts, and detailed breakdowns and player pages. With knowledge of the history of the game and the great players that accompany this lore, more relationships between players and countries can form – similar to China and its citizens’ love for Kobe Bryant – and generate more momentum for professional basketball.

The NBA is moving in the right direction towards global expansion and the evidence lies not only in the makeup of the NBA rosters, but also the rapid interest generated in international competitions such as the FIBA World Championship. As a result, basketball is on the verge of becoming a global power and technology will play a large role going forward.