AUCKLAND, New Zealand, February 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
- NBA and PERFORM agree to multi-year partnership to offer extensive and localized NBA content to New Zealand Fans on Sportal, including live streaming of one game a week -
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has entered into a multi-year partnership with digital sports content company PERFORM, and launched the first-ever official online site designed specifically for fans in New Zealand. The new online destination on Sportal will offer extensive and localized NBA editorial and video content, including the live stream of one NBA game every week during the regular season.
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Part of the PERFORM Group, the new NBA vertical on Sportal's recently rebranded website (http://www.sportal.co.nz/nba) will be the official home of the NBA in New Zealand. In addition to comprehensive editorial coverage of all the big news and events, there will be premium video content in the form of highlights and interviews each day, integrated social media elements allowing fans to connect with the NBA New Zealand Facebook fan page, plus an exciting 24 live regular season games and up to four play-off games streamed online.
"The NBA's partnership with PERFORM keeps us squarely at the digital forefront as we offer progressive new ways for our fans to enjoy NBA content," said Geraldine Pamphile, Vice President, Media Distribution & Merchandising, NBA Asia. "The NBA has a strong following in New Zealand across all of our businesses and the NBA will continue providing industry-leading solutions for our passionate followers here."
PERFORM sees the revolutionary deal as only the first in a series of moves to deliver more quality and premium content to fans via a completely responsive design optimized for mobile, tablet and desktop.
Sportal's New Zealand NBA vertical will also offer a Te Reo Maori version, marking the first time a major global sport will offer a destination for news, stats and other information in the local language.
"This partnership is a major step forward in providing premium NBA content to fans in New Zealand," said James Rushton, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, PERFORM. "We will be able to deliver an appointment viewing opportunity across multiple devices to fans every week. It is a very exciting time for Sportal and fans alike."
The NBA partnership is part of PERFORM and Sportal's ongoing strategy to obtain digital rights to bring premium content to their growing audience of dedicated sports fans.
With the launch of http://www.sportal.co.nz/nba, the NBA now features 16 international web destinations. The NBA was the first U.S. sports league to offer international web destinations for fans, with the first, nba.com/Japan, being launched in 1999.
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