DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings looks on against the New York Knicks during the first half at Madison Square Garden on December 4, 2016 in New York City. (Photo : Getty Images/Michael Reaves)
Live streaming has become one of the most popular ways by which people receive content. Now the NBA is looking to take advantage of its sizeable following on Facebook by streaming the first ever regular season game live on Facebook. Fans should not get too excited though, because as of right now, this stream is only available to NBA fans in India.
The NBA will stream the matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Sacramento Kings. Basketball fans in India will be able to watch two of the most dominant athletes in basketball today, with Stephen Curry and DeMarcus Cousins lining up for the Warriors and the Kings respectively.
"Through this groundbreaking live broadcast, we'll be able to engage new fans [and] introduce many to the excitement of NBA basketball for the first time," Kings' owner Vivek Ranadive - an Indian tech software - said in a statement. This will be accomplished through "the Kings' cultural showcase that Sacramento-based fans enjoy every year, through an incredibly powerful network that brings people together," he added.
Fans may be wondering why this is the game that the league has decided to live stream. For starters, the stream will be part of the Kings' annual cultural showcase. It will be part of the "Bollywood Night" promotion of the Sacramento-based basketball team, according to CNET. Another reason for this is that the Warriors are one of the league's most marketable team by virtue of featuring all-stars such as Kevin Durant and the previously mentioned Stephen Curry.
The NBA is currently going above and beyond to improve their fans' viewing experience. Earlier on in the season they introduced mobile view, which gives fans a closer view of the on-court action, but is optimized for mobile devices. This feature will also be featured in the Warriors vs. Kings live stream, according to CBS.
The Warriors vs. Kings live stream will be commercial-free as well. Aside from these, the NBA has also announced that they will be broadcasting at least one game a week in virtual reality. Basketball fans should definitely watch out for what the NBA has in store.
Watch some highlights of the game below:
