NEW YORK – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced a range of new and enhanced digital experiences for the 2026-27 season designed to keep fans connected to live games in real time and make it easier to watch the action across the platforms they use every day.
The NBA is expanding Tap to Watch, creating more direct connections between the places fans discover and follow NBA content and where they can watch games live. This season, Tap to Watch links will appear on every TikTok post mentioning #NBA, as well as on content from hundreds of creators who have been granted access to NBA game highlights this season. In both cases, fans get easy access to live games directly from the content they’re already engaging with.
The new NBA Gametime experience on X will also help fans discover where to watch live games alongside real-time scores, highlights and conversations in a custom NBA timeline. Tap to Watch will continue to connect fans to national, local, international and NBA League Pass game telecasts through the NBA App, NBA.com, team digital platforms and participating partner sites, including Google, which will again feature Tap to Watch links in OneBox search results and on its new Sportscaster platform. Fans can also now add the NBA schedule to their digital calendars via nba.com/calendar, with Tap to Watch links that take them directly to where each game is available.
Across the NBA App, NBA.com and social platforms, the league is introducing new ways for fans to discover what is happening across the league, follow games as they unfold and quickly access live broadcasts. The updates are highlighted by “Game Pulse,” a new NBA App experience that brings together real-time highlights, stats and insights to capture the story of the game as it happens, as well as Ask NBA, an AI-powered basketball assistant that uses new in-game advanced stats and analysis to let fans dive deeper into the game through questions about games, players, statistics and on-court trends, backed by official NBA data.
Game Pulse combines a live court visualization with highlights, player and team milestones and advanced statistics, including shot charts and quarter-by-quarter player stats, in a live-updating experience. Fans can follow live or catch up quickly with contextual insights on momentum-shifting plays and individual performances. Throughout the season, Game Pulse will also feature commentary and perspectives from NBA legends such as Muggsy Bogues, Carlos Boozer, Gary Payton and Joakim Noah as well as creators, including Lethal Shooter, Kris London, Jenna Bandy and more.
Fans can also begin following the action before tipoff with live warm-up coverage available daily on the NBA App, providing a real-time look at players preparing for that night’s games and another way for fans to stay connected to the action.
“The breadth of our digital ecosystem allows us to connect with NBA fans in more ways than ever before,” said NBA Head of Direct-to-Consumer Products, Technology & Operations Chris Benyarko. “This season, we’re bringing together new experiences, deeper basketball insights and fresh perspectives from creators, while making it easier for fans to discover, follow and watch live games across the platforms they use every day. Together, these enhancements are designed to bring fans closer to the game and create a richer, more engaging experience throughout the season.”
Additional new and enhanced features across the NBA’s digital ecosystem this season include:
NBA Inside the Game powered by AWS: The league will combine tracking data with AI to provide fans with robust statistical insights around previously unmeasurable aspects of the game in real time, including new advanced stats such as Handle Score, which captures the style and effectiveness of every dribble move, and a new zone defense model showing how often and successful teams are at using it. NBA Blueprint leverages AI to produce pregame and postgame reports for every game, giving fans a quick read on each matchup’s biggest statistical advantages and storylines, with insights also appearing within Game Pulse.
NBA League Pass and AI-Assisted Navigation: NBA League Pass will debut several enhancements to the live game-viewing experience. Auto-Play Next will direct users to a recommended matchup at the conclusion of each game, while Multiview Focus Mode will allow fans to highlight a primary game while watching up to three additional matchups. Fans can also access a personalized Multiview card featuring four games based on the teams they follow in the NBA App. New AI-assisted navigation on the NBA App will also make it easier for fans to access information including scores, schedules and standings.
