The National Basketball Association is doing a full-court press on podcasts: The league announced amultiyear partnership with iHeartMedia to coproduce and launch more than 20 new hoops-oriented podcasts.
The new slate of NBA podcasts will be distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network. The first show under the deal is set to debut this fall. The league’s shows will incorporate material from the NBA’s archives to tell the backstories of some of the greatest moments in sports history. The podcasts also will provide a mix of league news, player commentary and insider analysis, with more details on shows to be announced.
Under the partnership, the NBA and its teams will get access to iHeartMedia’s reach across multiple platforms including podcasts, streaming audio and broadcast radio, as well as the opportunity to develop a new slate of shows each year.
“We are excited to expand the league’s audio offerings to fans by teaming up with iHeartMedia to deliver NBA content and storytelling to the iHeartPodcast Network,” said David Denenberg, the NBA’s SVP of national and local network partnerships. “We look forward to reaching more fans with content about our teams, players and history through this partnership.”
The announcement comes after iHeartMedia announced a deal with the NFL earlier this year, under which they plan to coproduce and distribute two dozen new original shows.
Kevin LeGrett, president of iHeartMedia Sports, commented, “The NBA is one of the toughest leagues in the world. These are relentless athletes, with a grueling schedule, at the absolute height of their game. Their stories are the stuff of legend and deserve mass-reach audiences and top-tier brand partners.”
(Pictured above: Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo drives to the basket between the Phoenix Suns’ Deandre Ayton and Jae Crowder during Game 6 of the NBA Finals July 20 in Milwaukee.)
