NBA brings League Pass to Broadband

The National Basketball Association continues to expand its online presence, now launching NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband, a new added feature providing all NBA LEAGUE PASS subscribers with access to live video webcasts of up to 40 NBA regular season games a week on NBA.com. The service marks the first time fans will have access to a full slate of live NBA games online.

NBA LEAGUE PASS is the league’s subscription TV service available to cable and satellite subscribers. The launch of NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband coincides with the start of the NBA LEAGUE PASS Half-Season package, now offering the product for $109 for the remainder of the regular season. Pre-existing NBA LEAGUE PASS subscribers will receive access to the live webcasts on NBA.com at no additional cost and new subscribers will receive the webcasts as an added value to their Half-Season subscription.

The regular season live webcasts through NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband will
be the first on NBA.com since the NBA became the first major
professional sports league to webcast a live game in streaming video on
April 13, 2001 when the Dallas Mavericks hosted the Sacramento Kings. The WNBA has featured a package of live game webcasts on
WNBA.com in each of the last three seasons.

“Working hand-in-hand with our NBA LEAGUE PASS cable and satellite providers, NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband is another great way for subscribers to experience the excitement of live NBA games throughout the season,” said Gregg Winik, Executive Vice President, NBA Entertainment. “As an added value, the new service is the perfect complement to any NBA LEAGUE PASS subscription and no longer requires subscribers to be at their television set to access their NBA LEAGUE PASS service.”

The new NBA LEAGUE PASS Broadband service expands the NBA’s online game offerings. Google recently teamed with the NBA to launch the Google Video Store marking the first time NBA fans were able to purchase full 2005-06 NBA contests online 24 hours after the conclusion of games.

NBA LEAGUE PASS, launched in 1994 and currently featuring up to 40 NBA regular season games a week, is the ultimate viewing experience for basketball fans who want to watch their favorite teams, players and match-ups from outside their local markets. Games included in NBA LEAGUE PASS are in addition to those available on ABC, TNT, NBA TV, ESPN, ESPN2 and local networks (such as a regional sports network and/or over-the-air station).