British Basketball League has record-breaking viewership season
June 21, 2023
The British Basketball League continues its rapid growth in popularity following a record-breaking season in which linear and digital viewership figures rose by over 200% in a season marked by impressive marketing efforts, historical wins and sell-out crowds.
The curtain rose for the 2022/23 season on 3rd September, with the 10 British Basketball League teams launching into a revamped season, backed by a renewed broadcast deal with SkySports and a fresh #KnowOurName marketing campaign designed to ignite fans’ passion and drive awareness around the League.
Across YouTube and SkySports, British Basketball League viewership increased by 217% across the season as interest continued to grow around the three major tournaments, with the Play-Off Finals recording 377% growth compared to last season. On-the-ground viewership also reached new highs as fans arrived in record numbers at the three major finals namely the Cup, Trophy and Play-Offs held in Birmingham, Glasgow and London, respectively.15,000 fans alone packed into the London 02 Arena to witness history as the London Lions competed for the domestic treble.
The London team dominated proceedings both domestically and in Europe, becoming the first-ever British basketball team to compete in the play-off rounds of the prestigious EuroCup. A mixture of homegrown talent and ex-NBA and international stars ranging from Sam Dekker, Kosta Koufous and Tomislav Zubcic helped contribute to record viewership figures for their EuroCup games this season on BT Sport, with a 181% increase in peak viewership recorded compared to the last peak record.
On social media, both live and on-demand video views jumped from 1.4 million to a staggering 20 million during the 2022/23 season, while engagements across all platforms increased by 492%. The growth was aided by the launch of various user-generated campaigns including Your Coach which invited grassroots teams to nominate their coach for the Community Coach of the Year Award, as well as a Golden Ball treasure hunt around the Play-Off Finals which took place in each of the hometowns of the 10 teams.
Marking the end of a record-breaking year, the season culminated with Leicester Riders star, Blake Bowman taking to the skies to complete a dunk contest on top of the London O2 Arena. The first-of-its-kind stunt was designed to shine a light on another incredible year for the League as it continues to take the game to new heights. The stunt contributed to an additional 5.3 million views across the league’s owned and social channels.
Commenting on the results, British Basketball League’s Head of Marketing, Joe Edwards said:
“The 2022/23 season has been a particularly exciting one as we continue on our mission to make the British Basketball League a household name. The League’s growth is reflected in the end-of-year marketing results in which digital viewership rocketed in comparison to last season. The increased viewership amongst fans and media alike is a clear indication that Basketball is becoming more popular in the UK and it’s a testament to the hard work of the teams, players and the growing in-house British Basketball League team who have been working tirelessly behind the scenes all season to make it a success.”
He added: “I’m already excited to see what is to come next season, and I have every confidence that we will continue to reach new heights and build upon what has been a landmark year for British basketball. Watch this space!”
