Registration Opens for SportAccord 2021 in Ekaterinburg

SportAccord has opened the registration process for the 2021 edition of the SportAccord World Sport & Business Summit in Ekaterinburg, Russia.

The dynamic and historic city will reunite the international sporting community from 23-28 May 2021 at the IEC Ekaterinburg-Expo convention centre, helping to draw a line under the turbulence of 2020 and herald a bright new chapter for the future of sport.

Situated on the banks on the Iset River, on the crossroads between Europe to the west and Asia to the east, Ekaterinburg will bring together all international sport federations and their stakeholders, as well as industry executives and experts from across the globe for six days of high-level meetings, an unmissable conference programme, a bustling exhibition and a thriving networking schedule.

While in Ekaterinburg, delegates will be able to explore a destination that has become a hotspot for tourism, business and sport.

Russia’s fourth-largest city by population is home to numerous professional teams across a wide range of sports and will host games during the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship before staging the 2023 FISU Summer Universiade, having previously hosted 2018 FIFA World Cup matches and the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships.

SportAccord President Raffaele Chiulli said: “Sport plays a vital role within communities worldwide and, at SportAccord, we want to contribute towards the resurgence of sport following an incredibly challenging 2020 by working with our partners in Ekaterinburg and Russia to deliver an outstanding SportAccord 2021.”

“SportAccord is built on the principles of unity and friendship – and these will be key pillars for sport and society as a whole in the coming months. Preparations are on track for a superb event in Ekaterinburg that will bring the sporting world together once again for essential knowledge exchange and networking, all for the benefit of the future development of sport.”

SportAccord Managing Director Nis Hatt said: “We truly appreciate the hospitality shown by our hosts and to be able to return to Russia once again. SportAccord remains focussed on unity, inclusion and building joint bridges for the world of sport and that of society.”

“With registration now open for SportAccord 2021, those who had already earmarked the dates of 23-28 May 2021 in their calendar will have the opportunity to confirm their attendance for our annual Summit.”

To benefit from our early registration rate, click here to register as a delegate and here to find out more information about attending.

Sportradar’s Sports Content And Coverage Far Above 2019 Levels

Sportradar, the global provider of sports content and intelligence, today released figures showing that they had sustained their delivery of sports content and coverage despite the lack of live sports globally due to COVID-19, even managing to increase the overall coverage levels compared to the same period last year .

So far in the month of April, there has been an 11% increase in its available sports content compared to April 2019, with coverage of approximately 24,000 matches in total worldwide. In a typical month, Sportradar provides live coverage for approximately 20,000 matches. As a result, Sportradar’s Live Odds coverage is up 30%, while Live Data is up 20% compared to this time last year.

This significant achievement reflects Sportradar’s rapid response to the current absence of live sports and increased appetite for alternative content from customers. The company has pivoted its business to focus on developing a range of innovative and non-traditional sports products, in addition to continuing to partner with leagues around the world.

Sportradar’s Chief Executive Officer, Carsten Koerl said: “Innovation is the cornerstone of our company. During this time, we have been able to quickly adapt to change and constantly evaluate and re-evaluate the products and services we are offering. We’re pleased to have been able to utilise our technological expertise, comprehensive sports data and sports partnerships across the world quickly to continue to help our customers deliver entertainment and engagement with additional live content and coverage.

New products and content include:

Simulated Reality

The first completely AI driven product simulating the event data from major professional sports matches which the company delivered from concept to live in 10 days. Simulated Reality taps into Sportradar’s AI and machine learning capabilities to create and deliver a sports betting experience which is as close to real life as possible.

On the first day of its launch, Sportradar saw approximately 250 clients sign up to the soccer service. Cricket has since been released with other sports, including tennis, to follow soon.

Virtual Sports

Sportradar recently added to its Gaming Solutions portfolio with the release of the Euro Cup 2020. Euro Cup 2020 has been built using motion capture technology, allowing fans to experience the sights and sounds of this virtual football tournament creating a fan and betting experience as close to real-life as possible.

Innovative live sports tournaments

Through its partnerships with leagues and federations across the world, Sportradar has supported the creation and curation of a number of live tournaments. This includes darts, tennis and table tennis events, such as the International Tennis Series Presented by SportsEdTv, Brazil Autumn Cup Table Tennis and PDC Darts at Home. Sportradar is also providing coverage for live sports events that are still currently going ahead and will resume its comprehensive coverage of live sports globally as they return.

Electronic Leagues

Through its network of partnerships, Sportradar has added three high profile properties to its electronic leagues offering. The events include the Brazilian Confederation of esports (CBES) Pro Player Cup, Uruguayan Federation of Virtual Football (FEFV) Pro Club League, and the Russian Premier League (RPL) Cyberleague Pro Series.

Numbers Betting

Outside of sports, Sportradar also provides the most comprehensive pre-match lottery betting solution on the market. The product offers coverage around the clock, with more than 10,400 draws per week from over 165 real State Lotteries worldwide.

UEFA Women’s EURO 2021 Rearranged for Summer 2022

Move of tournament to 2022 ensures flagship competition has full potential to further boost growth of women’s football.

The UEFA Executive Committee today confirmed that the postponed UEFA Women’s EURO 2021 will be played in England from 6 July to 31 July 2022. It is planned to use the same venues that were originally proposed to host the event.

Commenting on the rescheduling, UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said: “When we had to take an urgent decision on the postponement of UEFA EURO 2020, we always had the impact on UEFA Women’s EURO 2021 in mind. We have carefully considered all options, with our commitment to the growth of women’s football at the forefront of our thinking. By moving UEFA Women’s EURO to the following year, we are ensuring that our flagship women’s competition will be the only major football tournament of the summer, providing it with the spotlight it deserves.”

The decision to move UEFA Women’s EURO came after UEFA announced on 17 March that UEFA EURO 2020 would be postponed to 2021 following the global outbreak of COVID-19 and the duty of UEFA to protect the health of all those involved in the game, while allowing domestic leagues and European competitions to be completed. The extensive discussions leading to the move included talks with organisers of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, with whom UEFA and the English Football Association continue to work with collaboratively to ensure that 2022 provides a memorable summer of elite sport.

UEFA’s chief of women’s football, Nadine Kessler, said: “The core question guiding us together with the English FA was: What is best for women’s football? With the Olympics now being confirmed for summer 2021, we firmly believe that moving to 2022 is in the best interests of the tournament, the players, the fans, women’s football partners and everybody involved in all areas and at all levels of the game. UEFA Women’s EURO is Europe’s biggest women’s sport event. It is also among the biggest sports events in the world, and therefore needs and deserves a platform of its own.

“This decision puts us in a position to deliver a tournament that attracts global attention, maximises media coverage and increases stadium attendances, and is therefore helping us to meet our core objective of inspiring the next generation of footballers.

“2022 also allows for further promotion and partner activation, which would have been much more difficult in what is now a crowded summer in 2021. It is a clear sign of commitment to our dedicated partners who have joined us since we decided to separate the sponsorship of women’s football from men’s football.”

The English FA’s director of women’s football, Baroness Sue Campbell, said: “As a nation and at The FA, we are extremely proud to be hosting UEFA Women’s EURO 2021, and are fully committed to delivering a world-class experience for players, staff and fans alike as the best of the European game comes to England.

“However, the sporting calendar must adapt while the world tackles something much bigger than sport. In these unprecedented times, it should be reiterated that the health of our communities remains the absolute priority for us all.

“As a result, following discussions with UEFA, we fully support its decision to postpone UEFA Women’s EURO 2021. We agree that this decision will ultimately benefit the tournament, creating its own window in the football calendar. It will also allow us all more time following this challenging period to deliver an unforgettable event befitting of a home EURO.

“We have made excellent progress in the planning of the tournament to date, and particularly want to thank our host cities and venues for their ongoing commitment and support. We are also grateful to the Commonwealth Games Federation for its collaboration as we sought to confirm these new dates, and look forward to working together to showcase the best of women’s sport across both of our events.

“We will continue our dialogues with cities, venues and our partners over the coming months as we work towards delivering a record-breaking UEFA Women’s EURO on home soil in 2022. We are confident that it will be worth the wait.”

UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin added: “I would also like to thank The Football Association, the local organising committee and our member associations, who are as convinced as we are that the postponement to 2022 will be to the benefit of women’s football at large. The football family has once again shown unity, and we are now not only in a position to look forward to a European summer of football in 2021, but in 2022 as well. We are grateful for the cooperation of FIFA and the Commonwealth Games Federation in arriving at these dates.”

Further details, including potential amendments to the match calendar or the name of the tournament, will be announced in due course.

Douyin Becomes “LaLiga Official Social Media Partner” In China

LaLiga and Douyin have announced the agreement whereby the Chinese platform will become “LaLiga Official Social Media Partner” of the Spanish competition until March 2021.

As a result of this agreement, the first of its kind signed by a major football competition, LaLiga will increase the reach of its content in the fastest growing social network in China, where it already has over one million followers.

Douyin, for its part, allies with one of the leading brands in the world of sports and maintains its commitment to offer quality content of the Spanish competition and its clubs.

“With this agreement LaLiga goes one step further in its internationalization strategy in China, a priority market for us in which the digital presence of our clubs doubled last season. We are very happy to be the first league in the world to sign this kind of deal with Douyin, which will allow us to reach new audiences and give maximum visibility to our clubs on the short-form video platform. More and more LaLiga clubs are firmly committed to having a presence on Douyin; Atlético de Madrid, FC Barcelona, ​​RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Valencia CF are some of the clubs already present on this platform,” said Alfredo Bermejo, Digital Strategy Director at LaLiga.

“As a social media platform with great growth and potential we’re proud to reach this cooperation agreement with LaLiga, one of the most important leagues in the world. We seek to promote the sport through our technology, which will allow contents, materials and challenges to reach a greater number of fans, allowing them to strengthen their relationship with the tournament. The agreement also sees LaLiga go one step further in its digital strategy in China, where it already has profiles on the country’s main networks informing on the latest news and the array of projects it organizes in China aimed at bringing Laliga closer to its fans and developing local football,” said Ye Jueming, Douyin Sports director.

With the announcement of this commitment, LaLiga goes a step further in its digital strategy in China, where it already has a presence in the main social networks of the Asian country that inform about the current events of the competition and the multiple projects it has in the country, which are focused on the development of local football and to bring LaLiga closer to the Chinese fans.

Likewise, and with the help of LaLiga, 18 clubs already have official profiles on Chinese social networks, a way to make fans of other countries more aware of their players, history and cities.

Thanks to the projects carried out by its offices in Beijing and Shanghai, the growing presence in social networks and the determined commitment of iQiyi Sports, exclusive broadcaster of the competition in China, to reach the football fans through LaLiga, Chinese people have the opportunity to feel, stronger than ever, everything that surrounds the best league in the world.

The UCI Joins The United Nations Sports For Climate Action Framework

The Union Cycliste Internationale is delighted to announce that it has signed the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework as part of its ongoing efforts to promote cycling as one of the world’s most environmentally friendly sports.

The UN’s Sports for Climate Action Framework brings together more than 100 International Federations, other sports governing bodies, competitions, franchises and teams – including the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the international governing bodies for football, rugby and Formula 1 – to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from sport. In line with the Paris Climate Agreement, this Framework harnesses the cultural influence of sport to galvanise global action on climate change. The Framework was co-created by UN Climate Change and the IOC, and launched by the two organisations in December 2018.

In signing the Framework, UCI commits to the following five principles:

1. Undertaking systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility;

2. Reducing overall climate impact;

3. Educating for climate action;

4. Promoting sustainable and responsible consumption;

5. Advocating for climate action through communication.

The UCI’s flagship commitment will be to coordinate work already underway across cycling to promote environmental sustainability – such as the Organiser’s Guide to Road Events –  and work with its network of 196 National Federations on the five continents, its main commercial partners, and the IOC – which is leading the Olympic Movement’s  implementation of the Framework – to take it to the next level.

Cycling’s sustainability plan will include a detailed, multi-discipline sustainability toolkit for use across the sport to be published later this year.  Over and above its sustainability plan, the UCI is committed to a wider programme of advocacy – including with planned participation in the UN climate summit in Glasgow to take place in 2021 – to promote cycling as the primary mode of transport in urban areas.  Choosing the bicycle as a major policy solution to the climate crisis, will help reduce emissions and improve the health of hundreds of millions of people around the world.

UCI Director General Amina Lanaya said: “The world is in the midst of the coronavirus emergency on which we are all rightly focused, but we cannot afford to ignore the ever-constant threat of climate change. Even while the sporting calendar is suspended, the UCI – in line with our Federation’s roadmap Agenda 2022 – is working hard to rise to the challenges climate change poses to the future of our sport. It is therefore logical that we play our part in the global sporting effort to avoid the worst effects of climate change. Signing the UN’s Sport for Climate Action Framework is a big step that our Federation is proud to take. We are fully committed to making professional cycling one of the world’s most environmentally friendly sports, and to promoting cycling as a mode of transport in order to unlock a greener and healthier future for all.”

Chris Boardman, 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist, UCI Advocacy & Mass Participation Commission member and current Cycling & Walking Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “I applaud the UCI for signing the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework as part of their commitment to greening the sport we love. Their recognition that cycling and active travel is part of the solution to the climate crisis – and their clear commitment to advocate for it – is very encouraging and something I am working hard to deliver in Greater Manchester. I look forward to working with the UCI to make their sustainability programme a success for the sport and for society.”

“We congratulate the UCI on the decision to join the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework”, said IOC Director for Sustainability Marie Sallois. “As a global symbol of sustainable transportation, cycling has a unique ability to help address climate change while keeping us fit and healthy. The UCI is among 120 sports organisations that have joined the framework so far. We look forward to working hand in hand with the UCI to ensure an impactful implementation of this commitment.”

Investec’s Great Britain & England Hockey Deal To Expire In August, Ending Nine-Year Partnership

England and Great Britain Hockey’s nine-year relationship with Investec comes to an end in August 2020, with the ending of the sponsorship contract, and we would like to sincerely thank Investec for its contribution to our sport. 

Investec’s relationship with hockey has coincided with a hugely positive decade for the women’s game. Our senior teams have delivered significant on-field success including England’s victory on home soil at the 2015 European Championship and, of course, Great Britain’s momentous Rio Gold Medal triumph in 2016, which inspired the nation. The game has reached new audiences with the development of the Investec London Cup and the staging of major, global events notably the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup, one of the biggest ever women’s sports events ever staged in Britain.  This success and exposure has been translated into a healthy increase in women and girls playing hockey, the latter having grown by 90% since 2012, and significant increases in hockey’s fan-base with record crowds watching the FIH Hockey Pro League at The Twickenham Stoop in June 2019.

Investec’s commitment to women’s hockey has helped raise the profile of our athletes, elevated the experience at our events and enabled the sport to reach new audiences.  When the relationship began in 2011 it was pioneering and far-sighted to enter into a partnership with a women’s sport. This creativity, vision and courage has been rewarded and, a decade later and with progress to make, women’s sport is in a very different place in the national consciousness and mind-set of sponsors.

Jennifer Whiteford, Head of Brand at Investec says, “It has been a huge honour for Investec to be involved with such an incredible group of women at the elite level who are inspiring the next generation of hockey stars. The game and players have allowed us to deepen our relationships with our audiences and strengthened our brand.”

Jon Cockcroft, Commercial Director of England Hockey added, “We will look back on our relationship with great pride. Across all metrics the partnership has delivered for both Investec and hockey, and we have enjoyed so many great moments on and off the pitch. As we navigate through these difficult times, the importance of sport in terms of personal identity and social cohesion has been striking. We look forward to hockey resuming, the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and exploring future sponsorship opportunities with like-minded brands.”

Great Britain and England Hockey now begins its search for a successor to Investec. We understand this is an uncertain time for some businesses but, with the Tokyo Olympics delayed by a year and hockey thriving at all levels, there is much about which to be excited.

Hockey holds a unique position as the most equal gender team sport, played by all ages and across the world’s major markets. We are looking for new partners who embody our strong values of spirit and togetherness and wish to tell their story through the medium of a leading Olympic team sport.

Facebook Invests $5.7 billion in India’s Jio Platforms

A New Collaboration to Accelerate India’s Digital Transformation

Today we are announcing a $5.7 billion, or INR 43,574 crore, investment in Jio Platforms Limited, part of Reliance Industries Limited, making Facebook its largest minority shareholder.

This investment underscores our commitment to India, and our excitement for the dramatic transformation that Jio has spurred in the country. In less than four years, Jio has brought more than 388 million people online, fueling the creation of innovative new enterprises and connecting people in new ways. We are committed to connecting more people in India together with Jio.

India is in the midst of one of the most dynamic social and economic transformations the world has ever seen, driven by the rapid adoption of digital technologies. In just the past five years, more than 560 million people in India have gained access to the internet.

Our goal is to enable new opportunities for businesses of all sizes, but especially for the more than 60 million small businesses across India. They account for the majority of jobs in the country, and form the heart and soul of rural and urban communities alike. In the face of the coronavirus, it is important that we both combat this global pandemic now, and lay the groundwork to help people and businesses in the years to come.

One focus of our collaboration with Jio will be creating new ways for people and businesses to operate more effectively in the growing digital economy. For instance, by bringing together JioMart, Jio’s small business initiative, with the power of WhatsApp, we can enable people to connect with businesses, shop and ultimately purchase products in a seamless mobile experience.

India is a special country for us. Over the years, Facebook has invested in India to connect people and help businesses launch and grow. WhatsApp is so ingrained in Indian life that it has become a commonly used verb across many Indian languages and dialects. Facebook brings together friends and families, but moreover, it’s one of the country’s biggest enablers of growth for small businesses. And Instagram has grown dramatically in India in recent years as the place where people follow their interests and passions.

We are excited about furthering our investment in India’s vibrant digital economy. Our efforts with Jio will be focused on opening new doors and fueling India’s economic growth and the prosperity of its people. We look forward to working with Jio, and to future collaborations in India to advance this vision.

The Solidarity Gestures of LaLiga clubs to fight COVID-19

  • LaLiga clubs have donated medical supplies, made significant financial contributions and promoted various campaigns
  • The acts go as far as offering use of stadiums and volunteering to work with medical services.

Every gesture, no matter how small it may seem, is important when fighting a global pandemic. In the time of COVID-19, it is essential for communities to be pulling in the same direction and to working together, firstly by staying at home and secondly by finding other innovative and thoughtful ways to contribute.

The clubs of LaLiga have been quick to rise to the challenge, through a variety of different public health initiatives. From financial donations to the supplying of essential materials or even blood, the football industry has been decisive in its response.

The current initiatives of LaLiga clubs are as follows:

AD Alcorcón: Together with its official fan clubs, the LaLiga SmartBank side has joined forces to launch a fundraising event in support of the Fundación Alcorcón University Hospital.

Athletic Club: Via its Twitter account, the Basque Health Service, Osakidetza, recently confirmed, without revealing specific details, that the Bilbao club have made a valuable contribution through its players and coaches from both the men’s and women’s teams.

Athletic Club has also paid tribute to all the health personnel who work tirelessly in the fight against the coronavirus, illuminating the stadium in blue and projecting a message of thanks in San Mamés: “You give your soul for us, thank you very much from the heart”, the message reads.

Atlético de Madrid: “The health personnel are our team and they need basic protective equipment. They are ours. ” This is the message of Diego Pablo Simeone, coach of Atlético de Madrid, in the charity campaign of the rojiblanca entity #LoDamosTodo led by the coach in support of the club’s foundation and the Red Cross. The objective of this solidarity initiative is to raise funds for the acquisition and distribution of medical equipment for the health workers who are intervening in this crisis.

CA Osasuna: The Pamplona-based club has offered its Tajonar training facilities, to the Government of Navarra in case they can be of use.

Cádiz CF: the Andalusian club has contributed by buying 50 coils of PLA filament to manufacture sanitary protection screens that will be donated to Andalusian hospitals. In addition, the winger Iván Alejo, loaned this season from Getafe CF, has donated €10,000 to his home hospital, the Hospital Clinico Universitario de Valladolid.

CD Leganés: the Madrid club, through its foundation and in collaboration with the city council, has donated €200,000 to the Severo Ochoa Hospital with the aim of obtaining gowns, tests, water, disinfectants, blankets, masks and all the necessary and useful material that the hospital currently needs.

To read the full article and subscribe to the LaLiga Global Fútbol Newsletter –  https://newsletter.laliga.es/global-futbol/the-solidarity-gestures-of-laliga-clubs-to-fight-covid-19/rrss

Esports Gambling Revenue Set To Double To $14 Billion Globally In 2020

Esports gambling revenue is set to double from $7 billion in 2019 to $14 billion worldwide in 2020, reveals new research from global consumer research agency 2CV and market researcher ProdegeMR, as gamblers seek to shift spend away from other forms of gambling impacted by the worldwide spread of the COVID-19 virus.

2CV and ProdegeMR conducted a survey of 1,028 gamblers aged 18-64 looking at how the current climate, which has been impacted by COVID-19, is affecting gambling in the UK and the potential role that Esports could play in becoming a new revenue driver for the industry.

The survey found that 59% of gamblers have reduced spend in gambling, with 32% agreeing that they have actively looked for new things to bet on and 24% having already shifted spend on other forms of gambling. The most impacted form of gambling was sports – in which 69% of respondents said that they had reduced spend, whilst 54% stopped spending on sports gambling altogether.

The research also reveals a shifting interest among gamblers towards other forms such as Esports with 36% of gamblers having made a bet on Esports in the last 3 months, and 30% of consumers betting on esports having started only within the last month. Moreover, 22% of gamblers who have not tried betting on Esports before revealed that they will consider betting on Esports within the next three months, with the most popular forms being football, motor sports and tennis.

The most popular responses as to why gamblers are not already investing in Esports was that they needed more information (62%), Esports did not have enough sport-based games (45%) and the assumption that they were more inclined to being fixed (45%).

Moreover, 2CV and ProdegeMR looked at the differences between sports and Esports gamblers. The study revealed that the top reasons that betters were more inclined to gamble on sports or esports were due to the following factors:

  • Ability to cash out: 73% sports; 67% esports
  • Best odds: 72% sports; 62% esports
  • Large variety of games: 51% sports; 48% esports
  • In-play betting: 44% sports; 49% esports
  • Detailed stats on players and teams: 40% sports; 50% esports

Martin Bradley, Research Director in Technology and Entertainment at 2CV, said: “By 2022, the number of esports viewers is estimated to rise to 644 million worldwide, this is up from 454 million viewers in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many forms of sports associated with gambling being cancelled or postponed, but is also a big opportunity for esports to get in front of this audience. Short-term growth is likely to come from sport-based games, but there are huge opportunities to make this more long-term, as long as consumers are educated properly on esports and what it can offer, as well as considering which kinds of events are best suited to a particular audience.”

Microsoft Join NBA As Official Technology Partner

As part of a multi-year partnership announced on Thursday, the NBA and Microsoft are teaming up to re-imagine the way that fans experience the NBA and to do so in a much more personalised way.

From radio and newspapers, to television and digital, to streaming and social media, the way that fans consume and interact with basketball is constantly evolving as new technology and products arise.

“This partnership with Microsoft will help us redefine the way our fans experience NBA basketball,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “Our goal, working with Microsoft, is to create customized content that allows fans — whether they are in an NBA arena or watching from anywhere around the world — to immerse themselves in all aspects of the game and engage directly with our teams and players.”

At the core of this partnership, Microsoft and NBA Digital — which is co-managed by the NBA and Turner Sports — will develop a new direct-to-consumer platform on the Microsoft Azure cloud service that will use machine learning and artificial intelligence to deliver personalized game broadcasts as well as other content offerings that will allow the NBA’s global fanbase to customize and localize their experience.

“First and foremost, we want to make it easy to be an NBA fan,” said Chris Benyarko, NBA Executive Vice President, Direct to Consumer. “By creating a new platform that brings together all the things that make up being an NBA fan — whether that’s watching games, buying a ticket, participating in fantasy or buying merchandise, we can use that platform to re-imagine and diversify what it means to be an NBA fan. One of our key focus areas will be to innovate and rethink how we present NBA games to fans and to really leverage technology to personalize and deepen those experiences and make them more engaging.”

Through its current League Pass offering, the NBA has experimented with different camera angles; multiple game audio options, whether that was in the form of an influencer calling the game or listening to the game in a different language; and interactive trivia and questions during game telecasts.

“Imagine all of those features now being on a platform that’s able to use deep machine learning artificial intelligence capabilities to serve those up to a user; so instead of the fan having to pick and choose and turn them on or off one by one, the platform is now starting to behave like a game producer, automatically selecting and presenting the game in a different way,” Benyarko said.

In addition to delivering live and on-demand game broadcasts through the Microsoft Azure platform, the NBA’s vast offering of statistics, data and historical video archive will be curated and presented to fans through state-of-the-art machine learning, cognitive search and advanced data solutions. This will create a more personalized fan experience that tailors the content to the preferences of the fan, rewards participation, and provides more insights and analysis than ever before.

Deb Cupp, Corporate Vice President of Enterprise and Commercial Industries at Microsoft, gave an example of a fan frequently searching for statistics while watching games on the platform and how the new platform’s artificial intelligence would use that behavior to enhance the fan experience.

“The AI eventually learns that I like to learn about stats, so it’s going to start presenting me more information about stats as I go into the game,” Cupp said. “It’s this experience where instead of just watching a game, it actually has the opportunity to interact in a way that matters to me as that fan; it’s enriching the experience and frankly just makes it more valuable to me.”

Fans will be able to set up an account and enter their preferences — whether it is favorite team, favorite players, interest in statistics, history, trivia, gaming and more — in order to provide some direction to the content the platform provides, while it also learns from your viewing habits.

“It allows you to tell the platform what you like and also the platform will learn what you like by what you do,” Cupp said.

If a fan is traveling or unable to follow the games on a particular night in real time, the platform will quickly catch up the fan on games and information that mean the most to that fan, without having to search through all of the scores, headlines and highlights available.

“Things like that, to me, is what describes the fan engagement,” Cupp said. “It allows me to interact the way I want to interact, at the time I want to interact.”

This is especially important for the NBA’s global fanbase that consumes the game differently than fans in America due to distance and time zone differences. A fan in London or Australia may have a much different type of fandom than a fan in New York or California. Even fans that live next door to one another could have different interests and thus want a different experience. By personalizing their content, the NBA looks to serve all of its fans equally.

“If we’re able to solve the needs for all different people with varying interests, then we’ve done a great job,” Benyarko said.

The visible efforts for the 2020-21 season will be the league’s collaboration with Microsoft around the creation and presentation of NBA stats in the league’s telecasts. Also beginning next season, Microsoft will become the Official Artificial Intelligence Partner and an Official Cloud and Laptop Partner for the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, and USA Basketball.

“We are thrilled to serve as the official AI partner of the NBA,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement. “Together, we’ll bring fans closer to the game and players they love with new personalized experiences powered by Microsoft Azure.”