By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The 2018-19 NBA season is the fifth straight with at least 100 international players in all thirty teams. The growing impact of players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Luka Doncic, Ben Simmons and more is helping drive the NBA League Pass viewership internationally.
The success of international players is driving increased engagement and viewership internationally on NBA League Pass. Most notably, this year more international fans are watching games on NBA League Pass, and they’re watching for longer. With international subscriptions up +21% this season, viewership associated with specific countries and teams show strong correlations with many of these international players.
Specifically, unique international viewers are up 15% this season and total watch time for NBA League Pass internationally is up 16%.
The Denver Nuggets (+41%) and Dallas Mavericks (+34%) rank first and second, respectively, among all 30 teams in YoY unique viewer growth on League Pass internationally. The two teams featured a combined 11 international players on their opening-night rosters, including standout players like Luka Doncic, Dirk Nowitzki, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic.
Serbia (+395%) and Slovenia (+186%) have seen the largest YoY unique viewer growth on League Pass among all countries outside the U.S., driven in large part by Jokic (Serbia) and Doncic (Slovenia). In total there were five Serbians on opening-night rosters and two Slovenians on opening-night rosters.
Greece (+37%) and Montenegro (+65%) also saw a significant YoY unique viewer growth driven by NBA All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Vucevic, who hail from Greece and Montenegro, respectively.
The top five markets outside the U.S. and China as of the end of the 2018-19 season (in NBA League Pass subscriptions) were 1) Australia, 2) Brazil, 3) Canada, 4) Philippines, and 5) United Kingdom. Australia has seen +17% in YoY unique viewer growth, and the success of League Pass in Australia can be attributed to the record nine Australians who were on opening-night rosters this season.
India has experienced significant YoY growth in League Pass subscribers (+100%), unique viewers (+79%) and hours watched (+76%) this season. For the second straight season, the NBA aired five consecutive Sunday games in primetime in India via the NBA’s broadcast partner in India – SONY SIX.
Additional features available on League Pass internationally
Second Spectrum graphical feeds will be displayed on NBA League Pass internationally starting in the second round of the playoffs on app and web; Modes include:
Player mode: featuring above-the-rim cameras and graphics displaying the scoring probability of all five offensive players on the court throughout each possession, changing in real time
Coach mode: a heavy X’s and O’s analytical presentation of the game, featuring on-court diagrams of the live action
Mascot mode: a fun, entertaining presentation featuring special graphic treatments, including a fire graphic on the basket when a team goes on a scoring run, a 3D on-screen brick if a player misses badly, and more.
Photo Credit: Getty Images