NBA and YouTube Partnership

I found a great article in ClickZ, one of the required blogs for the semester. The article highlighted a new partnership between the NBA and the Internet site YouTube, which is owned by Google. YouTube subscribers are asked to submit video clips of themselves showing off their moves. The videos will be judged and the top ten will be showcased on the site throughout the rest of the 2006-2007 season. "Under the partnership, the NBA is also working with YouTube parent Google to test the distribution of syndicated NBA video content across Google’s AdSense network. The test will allow publishers to receive syndicated clips of NBA games and other content, paired with advertising and served by Google." According to an NBA spokesman, "Our key thing for doing this deal is it's a great opportunity to provide our fans the ability to share in their passion for the game with their best moves on YouTube. It's a unique way to reach our fans."

This partner demonstrates the trend of marketers going online to reach customers. The Internet with sites like YouTube that have cult-like followings is the medium of the 21st century. With TV viewership down and other forms of advertising yielding spotty results, the Internet is quickly becoming a surefire way to connect with customers. The fact that an organization as old as the NBA is partnering with an Internet site less than two years old, speaks to the power and opportunity these sites hold. Today businesses (the NBA is as much a business as it is a sports league) are looking to connect with customers on a personal level. The mass marketing of the 1950's is out, requiring marketers to tailor their product and marketing strategies to the individual. The Internet allows a company, like the NBA, to do this. By creating fan involvement and showcasing their enthusiasm for the game, the NBA is connecting with fans on a whole new level and utilizing the most important medium to come along since television.