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In a great piece of news for the Basketball fans in India, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Viacom18 announced a multi-year partnership deal recently to broadcast live NBA matches in India. Moreover, fans in India will also be able to stream these matches by an OTT option.
It has been confirmed that beginning with what is a landmark season for the NBA as it marks the association's 75th anniversary, Viacom 18 will enable detailed and comprehensive coverage of the NBA regular season as well as the other marquee events through its channel and digital platforms.
"While sports are the biggest whitespace that we are entering, to build a truly inclusive and differentiated proposition, we need to look at diverse sporting events from across the globe," said Anil Jayaraj, CEO – Sports, Viacom18 in an official release by NBA.
"Basketball is a sport that is increasingly gaining attention and affinity in India. Through this partnership with the NBA, not only do we want to make basketball mainstream, but also build its lifestyle appeal among sports fans," he added.
"We are thrilled to partner with Viacom18 to broadcast and stream live NBA games to a nationwide audience," said Sunny Malik, Head of Global Content and Media Distribution, NBA India.
"Basketball’s popularity in India continues to grow, and by offering a range of NBA programming on Viacom18 in both English and Hindi, we look forward to reaching and inspiring millions of new and existing NBA fans across the country," he added.
It is worth highlighting that before December 3, for over a year, except the 2021 Playoffs, NBA League Pass was the only option for NBA fans in India.
Where can one watch NBA 2021-22 matches on television in India?
Fans can watch the NBA 2021-22 matches on Vh1 and MTV in India.
Can one live stream NBA 2021-22 matches in India?
Live streaming of NBA 2021-22 is available on digital platforms VOOT and Jio TV.
Who is the NBA Brand Ambassador for India?
Bollywood superstar Ranveer Singh was named the NBA Brand Ambassador in September. The Lootera star will be working with NBA to help in the growth of the league's profile in India throughout the 2021-22 season which is the tournament's 75th season.