Mumbai-based Sportz Interactive (SI) has been appointed as the digital marketing agency of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in India to manage content across platforms.
The global basketball league opened its first office in India in 2011 and has since developed a sizeable following in a sport that is not traditionally associated with Indians.
Sportz Interactive will be focused on the next wave of fan growth for the NBA in India via digital platforms. One of the key objectives will be to increase awareness and popularity of the game among casual and curious fans and increase engagement with the core fans. With social media acting as a great fan acquisition tool for rights holders, SI will be mandated to lead this for the league in the country.
SI has been in the business of fan engagement since the early days of the internet boom in India and now works with various stakeholders in the sports ecosystem. Since 2014, SI has worked with leagues, teams, publishers, broadcasters and more to fuel data, technology and content solutions. Keeping the ‘fan’ as its central focus, SI has successfully designed websites, scorecards, mobile apps, broadcast and gaming solutions, along with providing services ranging from web and social media content to design and video production.
With this association, SI will be looking to help the league nurture and engage with its Indian audience in a unique way with a digital-first approach to fan engagement.
Siddharth Raman, Chief Business Officer, Sportz Interactive, said, “The role of digital today is vital in a sports brand’s journey and needs to be all-encompassing. We are delighted to be the catalysts for the NBA in India and support their vision of a deep relationship with fans in the country. It is a matter of pride for us to manage the India digital mandate for one of the most iconic and innovative sports brands globally.”