Three years ago, the Israeli Basketball Association (IBBA) embarked on a daring mission: to democratise basketball by making all the action accessible to fans globally.
The IBBA had long recognised that there was a growing audience demand around the Under-19 national team which had achieved consistent success and status, reaching the championship finals three years in a row. Additionally, they were astute enough to realise that the Elite Youth League represented the future. The team’s recent success created a demand for live league games as well as players’ highlights and data.
A thoroughly modern partnership
The success of these teams, the growing demand for additional game coverage and investment into the future generation of players, led them to look for solutions outside of the usual providers.
Traditional broadcast techniques were expensive and labour-intensive to implement. Recognising the value of live coverage for both fan engagement and player development, the IBBA sought a cost-effective production solution to broadcast all games. They turned to Pixellot, agreeing a four-year partnership which bolsters many of their ambitious aims – to stream more live matches, from more leagues to more fans, while opening up new monetisation opportunities. Revealing how the partnership came about IBBA Chairman Amiram Halevi explains, “The IBBA is committed to applying cutting-edge technology in order to revolutionise the accessibility of basketball games in our market by making the content and additional features available to everyone, everywhere, and anytime.”
Unveiling unseen action
Prior to the partnership, passionate fans outside of venues often missed captivating plays and rising stars. Pixellot’s AI camera systems changed the game, capturing over 2,500 matches across 90 teams in 80 venues. This included national, youth, and women’s leagues, transforming previously unseen basketball action into professionally produced content, complete with high quality graphics, commentary, sponsored placements and game analytics.
Fan engagement takes centre court
The impact on fan engagement has been nothing short of amazing. The comprehensive coverage has garnered significant viewership, allowing fans across the country to witness every exciting play and fostering a deeper connection with the teams.
Unlocking revenue streams
The partnership has also benefited the IBBA economically. Leagues have attracted major sponsors, such as well-known juice and mineral-water brands, and the national betting operator, motivated by the premium content and wider audience reach. This financial boost ensures the league’s sustainability and paves the way for future investments in player development and infrastructure.
Shining a light on women’s basketball
The IBBA’s commitment to inclusivity is another key highlight of the partnership. Recognising the existing talent and resulting growing fan base of women’s basketball, they decided to extend live coverage to four women’s leagues in the 2022/23 season. This doubled the number of Pixellot-covered leagues, solidifying the IBBA’s position as a global leader in gender equality within basketball, with live coverage of four men’s and four women’s leagues.
Nurturing tomorrow’s stars
The partnership extends beyond live streaming, fostering the development of future basketball stars. Pixellot provides coaches and analysts access to their video coaching platform to analyse games and refine players’ skills.
A quantifiable success
The stats speak volumes about the partnership’s success. Over 1,200 games were streamed live in the 2022/23 season, with the viewership rising as women’s leagues gain further traction. But the impact goes beyond mere numbers. This collaboration has empowered fans, amplified excitement, and built a thriving basketball ecosystem where everyone has a chance to shine regardless of their age, gender or location.
As Halevi sums up, “Basketball is a forward-thinking sport, and we plan to be at the forefront of this technology revolution. Our teams and players will benefit directly from access to stats and video breakdowns like never before.”