Sports

The NBA fan factory has a mission: Create, nurture and engage

Madrid, Oct 22 (EFE).- The NBA is celebrating a milestone season this year that marks the 75th anniversary of its founding but, far from resting on the laurels of its history, the league’s executives are continuously looking for ways to further grow this global brand.

In order to do that, they have a very clear mission: “Create, nurture and engage the next generation of fans,” George Aivazoglou, Head of Fan Engagement and Direct-to-Consumer for Europe and the Middle East, tells Efe in an interview.

“I would say it’s important to have stars coming from all countries, and this is a way to focus on the grassroots in markets where maybe in the past, we haven’t seen as many local heroes, probably because the game of basketball adoption-wise has been a little bit behind compared to other sports,” Aivazoglou acknowledges.

“It’s important to be present in as many countries as we can,” he continued.

Some sports like soccer may be losing their edge for young spectators, according to Real Madrid’s president Florentino Pérez in recent comments. This is not the case for the NBA, Aivazoglou says.

“They continue to watch and perform very strongly. I think what’s changed, what’s different, is just generational, with more innovation and progression. What they consume and how they consume is somewhat different, right?”

“Young people spend significantly more time on digital apps and platforms than TV. So it’s important to us to be there in a way that’s native and authentic to them. We want to be where our fans are in the best possible way.”

The key, Aivazoglou says, is to cater to that fandom.

For European and Middle Eastern fans, the NBA offers the chance to watch live games or replay them whenever they want through the NBA League Pass.

Perhaps they would prefer to watch the highlights or a brief recap of the previous night’s action, rather than a full game.

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