NBA now on LINE

NBA and LINE in cahoots

On Wednesday, the NBA and Line Corporation (the company behind the communications app LINE), entered into a digital content partnership, enabling the league to be the first among the major American professional sports leagues to have account on LINE.

Using the account @nba_global, the NBA can send real-time news updates and information towards those connected to as it as "friends." LINE will also make available NBA-themed LINE stickers for fans who use the app to share with their fellow users.

LINE CEO Akira Morikawa was pleased to announce this partnership, seeing this as a means to expand its user base, while for NBA Asia Managing Director Scott Levy, he sees this as another way for the league to reach out to its tech-savvy fans worldwide.

Since being launched in 2011, LINE now has a reach of more than 181 million monthly active users spread over 230 countries and regions. The free messaging app offers one-to-one and group messaging, as well as domestic and international voice and video calls. It also has additional elements like stickers, a personal Home, a Timeline, and numerous LINE family apps, including LINE games and LINE camera.