MUMBAI: MultiScreenMedia (MSM), which got the exclusive rights for four years with the National basketball Association (NBA) last year, intends to take the relationship to the next level by building the NBA brand and getting fans closer to the game Earlier this year, the rights had been shared with Zee.

MSM CEO Man Jit Singh says, ?the aim for the year is to grow the reach, viewership and time spent on the NBA and build it as a platform. When we did the deal last year we realised that for focused marketing and cross promotional activities it is better to have one platform. We are looking at on-air content as well as on the ground grassroots initiatives. On-air we will go beyond just showing live games.

"We are looking at showcasing the NBA lifestyle through special content like player profiles. The NBA fits in very well with our strategy of showcasing sports and entertainment. The TG is 14-35 in the Metros and tier one and two cities. Other properties are coming up in this space and we will evaluate these opportunities?

While specifying no plans, he did not rule out having an NBA feed in Hindi. On the ground MSM will do grassroots initiatives with the NBA. ?This will allow us to offer cross promotional opportunities to sponsors. Later this year we and the NBA will do a three-on-three competition across the country. The activity will spread across India and will run for around three months. Winners will get a chance to play against members of an NBA team. This event will be packaged and shown on Six. The appeal of basketball is that it is fast paced. Also, doing grassroots events is not difficult as the infrastructure requirements are not huge unlike other sports like soccer.?

Today NBA and MSM announced a tie-up with the NGO Magic Bus to launch an NBA Cares programme in the country. Weekly basketball programmes will be used to promote education, health and fitness for boys and girls ages 7 to 14. The initiative kicks off in June.

?The NBA is a brand that I admire as they also give back to the community. At MultiScreenMedia we are committed to Magic Bus as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility programme. This will bring the sport to underprivileged children. It will help children compete in a new sport, become active and improve their health? added Singh.
 
NBA Commissioner David Stern is visiting the country for the first time. He noted that while China is the largest market for the NBA outside the US, the expectation is that India will catch up in a shorter period of time. ?India has a large youth population. They will want to consume other sports besides cricket. Globally year on year we have been seeing double digit revenue growth?.

Referring to the tie-up with Magic Bus, he noted that social responsibility was a part of the league?s mission. ?We are proud to work with our partners at Magic Bus and MultiScreenMedia to promote the values inherent in our game ? dedication, discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship and the importance of fitness and good health among Indian youth. The NBA has conducted over 450 grassroots events in India in 10 cities over the last five years?

Magic Bus and the NBA will identify a community in Mumbai and launch a pilot programme for underprivileged youth that will include a jointly developed basketball curriculum. There will be weekly sessions that will feature and basketball activities and will teach life skills in the areas of education, gender equality, health and fitness. The programme is a part of Magic Bus? ?Sport for development? approach.

Basketball will also be integrated into existing Magic Bus programmes in 12 Indian communities and NBA coaches will conduct basketball and fitness clinics for youth enrolled in each community. NBA legends and players who travel to India in the coming year will also participate in clinics for Magic Bus youth.

Magic Bus CEO founder Mathew Spacie said, ?We are thrilled to partner with the NBA to pilot a programme where we will use basketball as a base for our award winning ?sport for development? curriculum. The Magic Bus curriculum works to help provide youth with guidance to make dignified life choices from childhood to adulthood and integrating basketball as a sport for development can diversify our programme benefits to help more and more children learn and grow.?