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| (Image Source: NBA.com) |
Driven by its multi-platform digital strategy, the NBA finished the 2022-23 regular season with record-breaking engagement across the NBA App, NBA League Pass and NBA social media accounts. Notably, @NBA on Instagram generated more than 13 billion video views this season, the most of any account on the platform. The league also amassed a record 32 billion video views across all NBA and NBA-related social media accounts, up more than 10% year-over-year, spurred by growth among young and international followers.
@NBA generated a record 18 billion views across social media platforms this season, the most among all sports leagues. The growth was led by the addition of 14 million new followers, largely from outside the U.S. International followers make up more than 70% of the NBA’s social media following, with 50 percent of the total audience comprised of people age 25 or younger. NBA social media milestones this season include:
• YouTube: The NBA’s YouTube channel became the first professional sports league account to surpass 20 million subscribers and 12 billion lifetime video views on the platform. Every 90 days, the NBA reached more than 75 million unique viewers on YouTube who, on average, watched more than 35 minutes of content on the channel.
• Instagram: With 78 million Instagram followers, the NBA is the 8th most-followed brand on the platform.
Five of the 10 most-viewed players on NBA social this season are age 26 or younger. The top 10 also includes five international players, namely:
• LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers; U.S.): 1.3 billion
• Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors; U.S.): 881 million
• Luka Dončić (Dallas Mavericks; Slovenia): 736 million
• Ja Morant (Memphis Grizzlies; U.S.): 653 million
• Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks; Greece; ties to Nigeria): 522 million
• Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics; U.S.): 496 million
• Kyrie Irving (Dallas Mavericks; Australia): 374 million
• Victor Wembanyama (2023 Draft Prospect; France): 350 million
• Jordan Poole (Golden State Warriors; U.S.): 293 million
• Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets; Serbia): 253 million
With a global fanbase that includes top celebrities from around the world, the NBA’s announcement naming South Korean rapper, songwriter, producer and BTS star SUGA an NBA Ambassador generated the second-most liked NBA Instagram post (4.6 million likes) and second-most retweeted NBA tweet (118K retweets) of all time.
The reimagined NBA App, which launched in September 2022, generated more than one billion video views this season, more than triple last year’s total. The growth was driven by the integration of social media-inspired vertical video content, attracting a younger audience that drove consumption of new series and programming, including “Pass the Rock” – an original series featuring the league’s rising stars – and live streams of Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 games starring 2023 NBA Draft prospect Victor Wembanyama. The NBA App – a product of NBA Digital, the league’s joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports – is free to download. NBA ID, the league’s new global membership program offering fans benefits and rewards, drove a 40% increase in NBA App downloads. With the launch of new alternative game telecasts such as “Throw it Down with Bill Walton” and original live programming such as NBA CrunchTime, NBA League Pass saw a 50% growth in subscribers and a 48% increase in viewership this season.
