NBA games to stream on Budweiser social channels in Brazil

Beer brand to present weekly live stream and produce original content for Brazilian fans, according to SBJ.

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  • Budweiser has been an NBA marketing partner in Brazil since 2015
  • NBA’s MD for Latin America tells SBJ that league has received interest in similar collaborations in Mexico, Argentina and Chile
  • Meanwhile, NBA names Hennessy as first global spirits partner

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has formalised a media partnership with Budweiser that will see games live streamed via the beer brand’s social channels in Brazil.

According to Sports Business Journal (SBJ), the deal, which is for the Brazilian market exclusively, will see Budweiser broadcast a weekly live stream of an NBA game and produce original Portuguese-language content across a variety of platforms. The SBJ report added that the broadcasts will feature guest appearances from popular Brazilian personalities.

Arnon de Mello, the NBA’s vice president and managing director for Latin America, told SBJ that Budweiser’s local content in Brazil could feature shows focused on fashion and gaming. He also revealed that the league has received interest in similar arrangements from partners in Mexico, Argentina and Chile.

“An NBA-Budweiser broadcast will look and feel very different than a regular NBA broadcast,” de Mello said in an interview with SBJ. “The idea is to go where our fans are, and not have them come to us for PR.”

The deal expands the NBA’s relationship with Budweiser in Brazil, where the brand has been a marketing partner of the league since 2015. The live broadcasts will start with Thursday’s game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Dallas Mavericks, according to the MKT Esportivo website, which said the fixture will air on Budweiser’s YouTube channel.

Meanwhile, the NBA has named cognac brand Hennessy as its first ever global spirits partner. The multi-year deal, which expands the pair’s agreement for the North American market, will kick off with the launch of the ‘Hennessy x NBA: Lines’ campaign, while limited edition Hennessy bottles will also go on sale to commemorate the partnership.