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Tag: WNBA

  • Nielsen adds Big Data muscle to new weekly TV rankings with sports flair

    Nielsen adds Big Data muscle to new weekly TV rankings with sports flair

    MUMBAI: Nielsen is giving TV viewership a fresh scoreboard with the launch of its revamped weekly ranking reports, now supercharged by Big Data plus Panel measurement.

    Unveiled for the first official week of the new broadcast season (starting 22 September), the reports don’t just track traditional programming anymore. Two new lists are in play:Top 25 Live Sports Events and the Top 250 Total Scheduled Programmes across broadcast, cable, streaming and syndication.

    Sports wasted no time making a splash in the inaugural rankings, with college football, Major League Baseball, the NFL, Ryder Cup and the WNBA all scoring spots in the Top 25.

    The refreshed Nielsen rankers now span broadcast, cable, syndication and streaming, giving a more holistic view of evolving TV habits. The reports shift to total day viewing and cover demographics from households to coveted age brackets like 18–49 and 25–54.

    At the heart of this is Nielsen’s Big Data plus Panel system, which blends the company’s long-standing representative panel with viewing data from 45 million households and 75 million devices, including set-top boxes, smart TVs and first-party streaming data. The result? A richer, more precise picture of who’s watching what, when and where.

    Beyond advertising, these insights can influence content programming, licensing, and TV distribution deals. Nielsen is also folding the new rankings into its website’s Top 10 lists, while continuing to flex its lead in streaming measurement through tools like streaming content ratings and The Gauge.

    With Big Data now in play, Nielsen isn’t just reporting on TV, it’s rewriting the playbook for how viewing is measured. 

  • Prime time for hoops as NBA lands on Prime Video in slam-dunk global deal

    Prime time for hoops as NBA lands on Prime Video in slam-dunk global deal

    MUMBAI: The courts are going digital and Prime Video is making the first move. In a slam-dunk announcement for basketball fans across India, Prime Video has unveiled the official logo for its upcoming coverage of the NBA, marking a major play in the global sports streaming arena. Starting October 2025, hoops action will stream straight to your screens no extra charges, no cable required.

    This follows Prime Video’s landmark 11-year media rights agreement with the NBA, making it the exclusive destination for 67 regular-season games each year, along with knockout matches from the Emirates NBA Cup and the Play-In Tournament. The deal also includes select playoff games and the Conference Finals in six out of the 11 seasons, an unmissable lineup for Indian fans.

    But wait, there’s more. Starting in 2026, the platform will tip off its WNBA coverage too, streaming 30 regular-season games and exclusive playoff matchups, including three WNBA Finals over the course of the agreement.

    With this move, Prime Video becomes more than just a platform, it becomes a prime court-side seat. NBA legends and Hall-of-Famers like Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Blake Griffin and Udonis Haslem will join sports journalist Taylor Rooks for a studio show filled with insights, stories, and signature style. WNBA star Candace Parker will bring her expertise to both NBA and WNBA coverage, making the lineup as star-studded off court as it is on.

    Basketball fans who want even more can access NBA League Pass via Prime Video as a third-party add-on, giving them access to an extended buffet of live and on-demand action.

    From fast breaks to buzzer beaters, Prime Video is set to transform sports streaming in India, one triple-double at a time.

  • NBA, WNBA, and Dream11 announce a multiyear extension to elevate fantasy basketball gaming in India

    NBA, WNBA, and Dream11 announce a multiyear extension to elevate fantasy basketball gaming in India

    Mumbai: The National Basketball Association (NBA), Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and Dream11, the fantasy sports platform, today announced a multiyear extension of their existing collaboration that will see Dream11 continue as the official fantasy gaming partner of the NBA and WNBA in the country.  The renewal builds on Dream11 and the NBA’s relationship that began in the 2017-18 season with the launch of the league’s first official fantasy game in India.

    Through the extension, fans in India can compete daily in a variety of public and private NBA and WNBA-themed fantasy games.  Simulating the role of a general manager, fans can construct a virtual team of NBA or WNBA players and accumulate points based on the players’ real-life on-court performances.    

    “With India being one of the fastest growing markets in the world for fantasy gaming, bolstering our presence in this space has been a key focus for us over the last few years,” said NBA India Country head Rajah Chaudhry.  “We have seen a significant increase in fan engagement since the launch of our official fantasy game on Dream11, and as we embark on this continued journey together, we look forward to pushing the boundaries of innovation in fantasy gaming and providing fans with even more exciting ways to connect with the NBA and WNBA.”

    Speaking on the partnership, Dream11 Chief Marketing Officer Vikrant Mudliar said, “Our partners have played a key role in making Dream11 the world’s largest fantasy sports platform.  As we extend our collaboration with the NBA and WNBA, we’re committed to taking the excitement of basketball to new heights for our users.  This association underscores our dedication to the sport while also highlighting the limitless possibilities in the realm of fantasy gaming.  Together we are committed to redefining the way fans engage with basketball and the leagues, creating an immersive and unparalleled experience for users.”

    Fans can play the official NBA and WNBA fantasy games at Dream11.com and on the Dream11 App, which is available for download via the App Store.  

    The 2023-24 NBA season is airing live in India on Sports18-1, Sports18 Khel, JioCinema and NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service available via the NBA App.  Fans in India can follow the NBA on Facebook (Facebook.com/NBAIndia), Instagram (@NBAIndia and @NBAStyle_in for everything style related), X (@NBAIndia) and download the NBA App for the latest news, updates, scores, stats, schedules, videos and more.

    The WNBA Draft will be held on Monday, April 15, and the WNBA’s 28 seasons tip-off on Tuesday, 14 May 2024.  Live games will be available on WNBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service available via the WNBA App.  Through the WNBA App’s around-the-clock women’s basketball coverage, featuring the latest news and biggest stories, real-time notifications, social style vertical videos and customizable viewing options, users can stay connected with the WNBA and women’s basketball in a new way.  Classic WNBA programming, including documentaries, game highlights and public service announcements can also be viewed on Doordarshan (DD) Sports.  Fans in India can follow the WNBA on Facebook (Facebook.com/WNBA), Instagram (@WNBA), and X (@WNBA). 

  • Ann Sarnoff named Dow Jones Ventures president

    Ann Sarnoff named Dow Jones Ventures president

    MUMBAI: Dow Jones & Company has named Ann Sarnoff president of Dow Jones Ventures, a new position charged with expanding the reach of Dow Jones brands to new markets and customers.

    An executive with media, consumer-marketing and professional-sports experience, Sarnoff will lead development of new digital businesses in adjacent consumer markets at Dow Jones, states an official release.

    Sarnoff, 44, comes to Dow Jones with a background in consumer media and young-adult marketing. She held senior strategy, finance and development roles at Viacom and was a key player in the growth of the Nickelodeon, VH1 and Country Music Television brands and businesses. Sarnoff also ran the business operations of the Women’s National Basketball Association, the release adds.

    “We want to create compelling new products and businesses to make the very most of our indispensable brands, content, products and people for the benefit of existing and new customers. With her experience and success building and expanding brands and businesses, Ann is ideally suited to help us innovate and take the Journal and other Dow Jones franchises to new audiences and new arenas,” says Dow Jones chief executive Rich Zannino.

    Sarnoff spent 10 years at Viacom, rising in 2001 to become COO for both VH1 and CMT:Country Music Television where she was responsible for the strategic planning and business development of both channels, and oversight of their brand extensions and digital strategy. Previously, she was responsible for consumer products and business development at Nickelodeon.

    More recently, Sarnoff was the COO of the WNBA, where she oversaw all the league’s business operations, including programming, marketing, licensing and merchandising. She worked earlier in her career at the strategic consulting firm, Marakon Associates.