Storyboard18 caught up with NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum to talk about basketball and the NBA's popularity in India, the market's potential and efforts to unlock new audiences
Mark Tatum of NBA shares his thoughts on basketball's popularity in India, the market's potential Image: David Banks / USA Today sports / Reuters
Although India's national pastime is cricket, other global sports like football and basketball have been steadily growing in popularity in the country, making India an important market for sports associations and leagues like the American National Basketball Association (NBA). Storyboard18 caught up with NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum to talk about basketball and the NBA's popularity in India, the market's potential, efforts to unlock new audiences and advertiser interest in this sport.
Read on.
Q. How do Indian viewers consume NBA and basketball as a sport?
There have never been more options for Indian consumers to watch NBA as a game and other NBA programming. Through our partnership with Viacom18, which started last season, fans are able to see games both in English and in Hindi, through Sports18, through VH1, MTV and digital platforms like Voot and Jio TV. These are available in standard definition and high definition across the country and we have more than 24 million fans in India watching live NBA programming on Viacom18 platforms alone this last season. The other partnership we announced was with India’s public service broadcaster Prasar Bharati, and there we have non-live NBA games, documentaries, WNBA games, NBA G League programming, and classic games. There we are reaching 85 million fans across India since the partnership began last year. We are seeing a lot of fans now consuming our game, being able to find our games on various platforms. This has been driving a lot of interest in the sport.
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