The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has announced a multi-year strategic partnership with live streaming service, Twitch.
The deal sees FIBA become the first International Federation to partner with Twitch, with Twitch set to stream not just FIBA sports content, but also set to tailor content to maximise its impact.
As part of the deal, FIBA will broadcast around 600 hours of live basketball games each year on its own Twitch channel, with FIBA giving access to official footage to Twitch creators so they can produce FIBA-related content on their own Twitch channels.
FIBA revealed plans to establish a network of creators in each of its major markets including the US, Australia, Spain, France, and Italy, with the creators to co-stream live games and create their own programming and formats to suit their channels.
The live games set to be streamed on Twitch include all FIBA 3×3 competitions, the EuroLeague Women and select youth tournaments, with highlights and delayed coverage of FIBA’s national team and club competitions to be packaged and distributed for Twitch creators and communities around the world.
FIBA secretary general, Andreas Zagklis, said: “FIBA is delighted to announce this unique collaboration with Twitch, a live streaming service that is used by millions of people globally each day.”
“This innovative agreement will further strengthen our strategic objective to enlarge the FIBA family by offering year-round basketball action to more fans, on an interactive service,” Zagklis said.
Twitch senior vice-president of EMEA, Damian Burns, said the partnership will launch in the Northern Hemisphere’s spring.
“Twitch is a community of superfans where the most passionate come together to participate in and shape their own entertainment, live,” Burns said.
“FIBA is an innovation-driven organisation and is passionate about bringing fans together in new interactive ways around livestreaming.
“This makes FIBA the perfect fit for Twitch.
“We are excited to see FIBA reach new and existing audiences across the globe with truly innovative content that makes the most of the tools and resources Twitch has to offer,” he said.
