About one-quarter of NBA fans are Gen Z (those turning 12 to 27 this year) and around half are multicultural, Henault said. The league’s aim is to tell compelling stories that can resonate globally and foster fan loyalty, Henault said.
“We’re spending a lot of time talking about, how do we continue to make sure we’re speaking to those audiences and growing those audiences, and getting more of those audiences to view the live game and tune in?” Henault said. “And so we tried to wrap this spot with a lot of these elements to appeal to them, and lean into humor, which we know really captures a broad audience's attention.”
The NBA season begins Oct. 22. Storylines coming into the year include the momentum of ascendant teams like the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder; the Boston Celtics’ defense of their NBA crown; year two of French sensation Victor Wembanyama; and the pairing of NBA legend LeBron James and his rookie son Bronny James on the Los Angeles Lakers.
There may be behind-the-scenes drama as well, as a media rights lawsuit by Warner Bros. Discovery plays out. The parent of TNT, which has broadcast NBA games for decades, was bid out of the 11-year, $76 billion media rights package with Disney (ABC and ESPN), Comcast (NBC and Peacock) and Amazon that begins next year. The NBA has filed a motion to dismiss.
Building on momentum
Last year was marked by the introduction of the In-Season Tournament, a soccer-style cup event embedded into the schedule meant to draw fans—and players—deeper into early-season action. That event—already considered a new NBA tentpole—is back this year with a title sponsor (it will be known as the Emirates NBA Cup).
It was also a banner season for NBA content consumption, with the highest regular-season viewership in four years across ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV; and a record 26 billion video views across NBA social media platforms and the NBA app, a 22% increase from the 2022-2023 season, the league said.
The league is looking to hook fans even sooner this year, in part by building off storylines from the Summer Olympics, Henault said. Several players featured in the NBA’s new ad were competing in Paris, including Wembanyama (France), Luka Dončić (Slovenia) and Team USA players Anthony Edwards, Bam Adebayo and Jayson Tatum. Kawhi Leonard, also featured in the ad, withdrew from the team weeks before the Games.