Microsoft Becomes the Official AI Partner for the NBA
Microsoft is announcing a new partnership with the National Basketball Association (NBA). The new multi-year partnership will see Microsoft becoming an Official Technology Partner for the NBA.
Microsoft will be building a new digital platform on Azure for the NBA that will deliver “next-generation, personalized game broadcasts” for NBA fans. Microsoft is becoming the Official Artificial Intelligence Partner and an Official Cloud and Laptop Partner for the NBA, Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), NBA G League, and USA Basketball beginning with the 2020-21 NBA season as part of the new partnership.
Microsoft said its new platform will change how fans engage with the NBA by offering new localized and personalized experiences. Along with live and on-demand game broadcast, Microsoft will also present the NBA’s historical video archive to fans using cognitive search, advanced data analytics solutions, and machine learning.
The platform will be built to let the NBA surface new and unique insights about games for fans, and introduce new dimensions to the game for coaches and broadcasters, claimed Microsoft.
“We are thrilled to serve as the official AI partner of the NBA. Together, we’ll bring fans closer to the game and players they love with new personalized experiences powered by Microsoft Azure,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.
In the next season, Microsoft will also become the entitlement partner of the NBA Draft Combine and an associate partner of future events like NBA All-Star, MGM Resorts NBA Summer League and WNBA All-Star as part of the new partnership.