Verizon, looking to broaden its content offerings, made a multi-year-deal with the National Basketball Association to stream content ranging from live games to original programming on Verizon’s media brands including Yahoo Sports.
While rival AT&T waits for its deal with Time Warner to be approved, Verizon seems to be looking to use sports content as a way to differentiate itself as a media company as well as a wireless provider. It has acquired AOL and Yahoo as part of its Oath online media unit.
The new deal will tip off with the NBA All-Star Game next month in Los Angeles. Verizon recently also announced a new deal with the National Football League that lets it stream regular season playoff games non-exclusively to people who do not subscribe to Verizon wireless service.
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Similarly, NBA content will be available to mobile subscribers of any wireless carrier via Yahoo Sports.
The new NBA deal will allow fans to purchase NBA League Pass in the U.S. on Yahoo Sports and other Verizon Media platforms. Yahoo will offer subscribers a 50% discount to the price available on NBA.com for League Pass, the out-of-market live game service managed by the NBA and Turner Sports.
Offering League Pass via Yahoo Sports will help the NBA reach new audiences at scale, Verizon sad.
Under the deal, Yahoo Sports and other Verizon platforms will feature a new daily show highlighting NBA actions and original sports and lifestyle programming using the leagues archive of NBA footage.
A new Official NBA Fantasy format is being developed, as are augmented reality and other new forms of content leveraging Verizon’s network technology.
And under Verizon’s “It’s on Us” program, up to eight NBA League Pass games will be available to registered users of Yahoo Sports and Verizon’s go90.
“Verizon is uniquely positioned to partner with the NBA in a first of-its-kind technology and content partnership that will serve the NBA’s dynamic fan base with more live action, fantasy and lifestyle content in addition to experiential opportunities in the U.S. and globally through Yahoo Fantasy,” said Brian Angiolet, senior VP, Global Chief Media and Content Officer at Verizon. “With the addition of live NBA games, highlights, classic footage, originals and more to our mobile sports offering, Yahoo Sports and Verizon’s family of media brands are becoming the first-screen for fans of live sports, and a superior alternative for partners and advertisers.”
Financial terms were not disclosed.
“We are absolutely thrilled to extend and grow our unique relationship with Verizon and its various media platforms,” said Bill Koenig, NBA President, Global Content and Media Distribution. “This expanded partnership allows us to tap into Verizon’s expansive reach and new technologies to engage our fans through a variety of innovative experiences.”
