A new streaming service unveiled by the LA Clippers this morning reflects the philosopy of the franchise’s chairman, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, about the role the NBA and its teams should play in shaping the digital viewing experience. “We need to define the future of watching basketball,” Ballmer said in an interview with GeekWire. “We’ll always do a better job of that than any distribution partner. Whether we distribute directly or through an ESPN or a TNT or an Amazon, or whoever gets into the business of distributing these things, the experience that makes this the best basketball possible… Read More
It was a bit of a throwback scene here in Seattle on Monday evening: Steve Ballmer revving up the crowd at the top of his lungs, and NBA hoops back on the hardwood. The former Microsoft CEO had Climate Pledge Arena roaring as he took the microphone at midcourt just before a preseason game between the Los Angeles Clippers, which Ballmer owns, and the Portland Trail Blazers. “I am so excited to have a game in my hometown of Seattle!” Ballmer yelled, pumping his fist and pacing around in his trademark energetic fashion. The game represented the first NBA action… Read More
The NBA called out its partnership with Microsoft as it unveiled a redesigned app on Tuesday. The new app has content recommendation and personalization features “powered by Microsoft Azure and Azure AI,” according to a news release. The app will have live streaming of games for NBA League Pass subscribers with higher video quality and lower streaming latency, according to the league. It also includes access to hundreds of past games from the “NBA vault,” as well as other video content. There is a new membership program called NBA ID. The partnership with Microsoft, first announced in 2020, “will help… Read More
A signature piece in late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s vast collection of interests and properties could be headed for sale as a new report names potential buyers and a price tag for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers. ESPN reported Thursday that Nike founder Phil Knight and Alan Smolinisky, an entrepreneur and a partial owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, have submitted a bid to purchase the Trail Blazers for more than $2 billion. Knight’s deep ties to the region “reflect the prospective ownership group’s desire to keep the team in Portland for the long-term,” ESPN reported, citing anonymous… Read More
The NBA is tapping the power of its partnership with Microsoft to deliver advanced analytics that offer insights into shots, passes, defense, double teams and more. NBA CourtOptix Powered by Microsoft Azure utilizes the tech giant’s artificial intelligence and machine learning to track and analyze action on the court and turn it into insightful video about how well players perform in various situations and how that data stacks up against league averages. Microsoft partnered with the league last year to become its official AI and cloud partner. They quickly went to work during the shortened 2020 season and used Microsoft… Read More
