The National Basketball Association announced on Wednesday that it is partnering with YouTube to launch a new channel in sub-Saharan Africa that will feature live NBA games.
The NBA Africa channel will feature two live games per week in primetime for the rest of the 2018-19 season, including the playoffs, conference finals and the finals. The first two live game broadcasts will take place on Sunday, March 24 and will feature the Charlotte Hornets hosting the Boston Celtics, followed by the L.A. Clippers visiting the New York Knicks.
In addition to live games, the NBA Africa YouTube channel will feature original and archived programming, including a collaboration with Africa-based YouTube creators on original content, a customized weekly magazine show and NBA documentaries featuring current and former African players and legends.
“The NBA Africa YouTube channel is yet another important milestone for the NBA in Africa and will allow more fans to access our games, live and on demand, across the continent,” said NBA Vice President and Managing Director for Africa Amadou Gallo Fall in a statement. “As we enter the home stretch of the NBA season and teams fight for playoff positioning, we look forward to bringing the excitement of the NBA to more fans in sub-Saharan Africa while celebrating the NBA’s rich history and bright future in Africa.”
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“From inception, YouTube has been a hub for fans to catch up on moments and coverage from their favorite sports,” said Dayo Olopade, manager of YouTube Partnerships in Africa, in a statement. “We are delighted to be partnering with the NBA to bring the action and inspiration of basketball to our audience in Africa. We hope NBA fans on the continent enjoy watching the live games and commentaries on YouTube.”
This new channel and livestreaming agreement extends the NBA’s partnership with YouTube that goes back more than 10 years. The NBA was the first professional sports league to partner with YouTube and launch its own channel in 2005. To date, the NBA YouTube channel has generated more than 5.4 billion views.