SAP Named Official Business Analytics Software Partner of the NBA

SAP AG and the National Basketball Association (NBA)announced that the league has selected the SAP HANA platform to develop a new statistical experience for its fans on NBA.com.

The HANA-based real-time data platform will enable the league to bring virtually unlimited amounts of official NBA statistical information directly to fans’ fingertips on the league’s official website.

In addition, health the NBA and SAP announced a new multiyear marketing partnership that will make SAP the official business analytics software partner of the NBA. The partnership includes the Women’s National Basketball Association and the NBA Development League and will allow SAP to connect with the passionate fan bases of all three leagues. Along with the U.S, case the partnership extends to several international markets, including Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India and Russia.

“We are constantly researching new and emerging technologies in an effort to provide our fans with new ways to connect with our game,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern, in a statement. “SAP is a leader in providing innovative software solutions and an ideal partner to provide a dynamic and comprehensive statistical offering as fans interact with NBA basketball on a global basis.”

“SAP is honored to partner with the NBA, one of the world’s most respected sports organizations,” said Bill McDermott, co-CEO of SAP, also in a statement. “Through SAP HANA, fans will be able to experience the NBA as never before. This is a slam dunk for SAP, the NBA and the many fans who will now have access to unprecedented insight and analysis.”

SAP HANA is a real-time platform for analytics and applications. While simplifying the IT stack, it provides features such as significant processing speed, the ability to handle big data, predictive capabilities and text mining capabilities, SAP said. SAP HANA is SAP AG’s implementation of in-memory database technology. 

The NBA statistics team will implement SAP HANA to run the league’s enhanced statistical offering on NBA.com, which previously was accessible only to NBA employees and select media members. NBA fans will be able to access large volumes of statistical information and analysis tools on the SAP HANA platform, which will enhance their overall experience.

Furthermore, the NBA has also selected SAP BusinessObjects business intelligence (BI) solutions for advanced analysis with SAP BusinessObjects Explorer software and SAP Data Services software. By utilizing SAP HANA to power official NBA statistics on NBA.com, and SAP BusinessObjects Explorer and SAP Data Services to enhance data quality, the NBA will provide fans with access to a new, easy-to-use statistical platform for their desktop, tablet or mobile device. The project is scheduled to launch during the 2012-13 season.

NBA.com also will utilize market-leading BI software from SAP to provide statistical analysis of the league’s entire history to fans. As the presenting partner of the statistics section of NBA.com, SAP software will give fans a user-friendly interface to access and analyze official league, team and player data in real time. SAP also will help fans searching for key statistics via their mobile devices as the presenting partner of the statistics section of the NBA Game Time mobile application.

Throughout the year SAP solutions will deliver real-time data across the NBA’s entire global operations, encompassing media, special events, mobility, social media, player and team statistics, technology and fan interactions, the company said

Also as part of the marketing partnership, SAP will serve as an associate partner of NBA All-Star, the NBA Draft and the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service. Additionally, SAP will be a partner of NBA China Games 2012, which includes two games between the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers in Beijing (October 11) and Shanghai (October 14), and NBA Europe Live 2012 presented by BBVA game in Berlin between the Dallas Mavericks and Alba Berlin (October 6).