💵Economic success
The NBA set a league revenue record of $10 billion last year; despite being impacted by the pandemic during the 2021/22 season, the league’s annual revenue has nearly tripled over the last decade, going from $3.7 billion in 2012 to $10 billion in 2022. With this revenue, the NBA reached second among US leagues in the economic generation, just behind the NFL. 
 
According to Forbes, the NBA’s 30 teams are worth an average of $2.48 billion, up 13% year-over-year. To give more context, from
2001 to 2021, there was a 1,100% increase, from $207 million to $2.48 billion.
 
And last but not least, the current media rights package that pays $24 billion, or $2.6 billion annually, will end in the 2024/25 season. The league is seeking a deal worth around $75 billion at an annual rate of $8 billion.
 
🌍International market
Nowadays, all the first-level sports leagues have the international market as a key factor in growth, and they implement many strategies to get the most significant benefits. There are several examples to point out the NBA’s international success: 
 
– 30% of the league’s sales are generated outside the US
– Around 70% of the NBA’s social media followers reside outside the US
– Games watched in 214 nations and more than 50 languages
– Preseason or regular-season games abroad (Japan, UAE, France and Mexico);
– 45 games this season will air in prime time in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
 
📱Digital supremacy
One of the clear NBA aims is to offer many digital options to its fans, and by this, the league has become one of the most progressive sports leagues not just in the USA but worldwide. There are many examples to show this. However, we are going to mention two:
 
– The NBA Twitter account surpassed 40 million followers, making it one of the top 10 most-followed brands on the platform. To give more context, its official English profile alone almost quadruples the number of followers of LaLiga. It surpasses other giants such as the Premier League, NFL or MLB.
– The league has invested heavily in redesigning its official app in partnership with Microsoft. The NBA has opted to make it the epicentre of its activity and connection with the fan and to personalise the experience of its 2.1 billion global community. 
 
🔜All these are arguments to prepare for what is perceived as
the big league’s leap. The NBA is preparing to sign that media rights agreement and consolidate in the sport industry as a top company with enormous international interest and constant innovations.