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Mairu Gupta and the art of building the NBA in India
MUMBAI: For basketball fans worldwide, the US National Basketball Association (NBA) represents the mecca of the sport. But in India, the NBA has had its task cut out, what with cricket presenting a near impenetrable line of defence as far as Indian audiences are concerned. However, the NBA has been making steady breaks over the past five years and has forged partnerships with the likes of broadcast network Sony Pictures Network India, schools where it has set up basketball training centres, and introduced a fantasy game.
It has set an ambitious goal to make it the number two sport in the country, a goal which even it knows is not going to be a cakewalk as the investment required is huge. “The NBA is more popular in India than ever before and basketball has become one of the fastest growing sports in India among both boys and girls. Last season (2016-17), we reached a record number of 125 million fans for NBA programming on TV across India,” says NBA India senior director global media distribution Mairu Gupta.
The association has been upping the hours of programming it puts out on Sony Pictures Network India – its broadcast network partner. 14 live games a week with English commentary have been aired on Sony Six and Sony Six HD throughout this season, and more than 80 games with two games every weekend with Hindi in-game commentary have started getting airtime on Sony Ten 3 and Sony Ten 3 HD from this season.
Then the sport has been getting a lot of traction on buzzing outlets such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Says Gupta: “The digital footprint is an important part of the fan acquisition and engagement strategy in the market and we have clocked a billion impressions on social media platforms. Digital remains a priority as we understand that many of our fans are mobile-first and consuming the content through new media. . Our fan base has doubled across social media assets last season and we have had over 160 million video views through last season.”
NBA live streamed a game via Facebook live for the first time on 8 January last season between the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors. The game reached two million unique fans on TV and attracted over 0.3 million views on Facebook as per the data provided by NBA.
It is also apparently attracting north Indian viewers. The tournament was simulcast on Sony Ten 1 and Sony Six which drew 9 million all-India viewers and delivered a HSM (Hindi speaking market) contribution of close to 50 per cent.
China is one of the NBA’s biggest markets outside the US. Its aim is to make India edge up to the former’s levels. The association has taken leaps in hooking Indians to this game. Right from setting up centres in schools to introducing a fantasy game, it has progressed since it launched here five years ago. NBA officially announced the opening of India’s first academy on the outskirts of Delhi on 9 May 2017.
“Basketball is a niche sport in India, hence needs a lot of marketing and promotional muscle to be put behind it. Then there is the need to have as many courts as possible so that young people can join in and take a shot at basketball just like cricket can be played anywhere,” says a media observer.
It is hoping to catch them young and make them learn about the sport, its stars and interact with it a lot more. For this purpose, it has partnered with
Indian fantasy gaming company Dream11 to launch a free-to-play NBA fantasy game.
Globally, basketball is the second most followed sport on Facebook, ranked by the number of people who follow at least one page connected to the sport, with cricket in fourth place. According to Meltwater, an online media intelligence company, football was the subject of 8.5 million new articles from 21 February 2016 to 21 February 2017, a third of the total number of all sports. Basketball was second, with 4.25 million, while cricket had 1.6 million – 6 per cent of the total, which was below baseball, tennis and rugby.
Looking at the numbers on Facebook Live for the NBA in India, Mairu has rolled out a special NBA India mobile app. Says he: “Starting this season, we’ve launched an enhanced mobile app for fans in India providing lighter and faster access. The app provides fans in India with localised content, an enhanced user experience and reduced size. It supports low-bandwidth options to help users minimise their data consumption.”
Amongst the customised shows figures the weekly highlight show – NBA Weekly, which focuses on the lifestyle and culture of basketball; NBA Hangout for which it has partnered with TVF and Sony Six. It airs the daily 30-minute game recaps which have been broadcast during prime time during the season.
Says Gupta: “India is a priority market for the NBA and we are committed to growing the game and our fan base. We work with partners across programmes to ensure maximum amplification around our initiatives- be it with Reliance Foundation, India on Track, Jabong, Jack & Jones or Gatorade.”
Diehard hoopsters would surely approve.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
