Verizon announces content, marketing deal with National Basketball Association

The deal is reportedly valued at around $400 million and will run for three years, according to people familiar with the transaction. « We are always looking for new ways to add value for our customers, and this partnership creates great opportunities to do just that ».

Verizon’s mobile video service go90 has struck a deal with the National Basketball Association, furthering the wireless giant’s effort to draw teens and 20-somethings to its new content platform.

Verizon’s Chief Marketing Officer Diego Scotti expressed his delight at the partnership – any marketing manager would have loved to have secured a deal like this. The service is primarily targeted at the Gen Z and the Millennials, about 75 percent of whom turn to mobile as their first source of video content. The app is free, and is available to all mobile users regardless of whether they have a Verizon connection.

The pact, in which Verizon replaces Sprint as the NBA’s marketing partner, aims to help Verizon differentiate itself in a crowded USA mobile phone market and streaming space. Television networks, YouTube MCNs, and digital content creators have all signed on to have their content hosted on the latest generation of streamers, but the vast majority of those deals are non-exclusive or include only a limited window of exclusivity. The « Verizon Slam Dunk » contest will debut at NBA All-Star 2016 in Toronto and Verizon will become the presenting partner of the NBA All-Star Balloting Program and a partner of NBA Draft, NBA Summer League and the Jr. NBA.

Additionally, the NBA has agreed to integrate Verizon into its NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and other NBA Digital assets, along with national broadcast partners ABC, ESPN and TNT. As part of the deal with the National Basketball Association subscribers will be able to watch original content and highlights on-demand. Extra games can be purchased via the the NBA’s League Pass, which offers the purchase of single games at $7 a pop, team passes ($120) to follow the season of your favorite team, and League Pass ($200) which offers around 1,000 out-of-market games.

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