Buzzer Renews NBA, WNBA Deals for Viewing Out-of-Market Games

Mobile app aims to drive Gen Z tune-in not watching on TV

The two-year-old mobile platform aims to serve as a live viewing bridge for the next generation of audiences that are not addressed by TV.

What's the deal?

Buzzer, a mobile platform for live sports aimed at young people, has renewed its deals with the NBA and WNBA to allow fans to watch out-of-market games via their League Pass streaming services.

As of now, Buzzer only offers in-app purchases for NBA and WNBA out-of-market games. Buzzer founder and chief executive Bo Han, a former Twitter executive, said the company hopes to announce agreements with other leagues in the coming months, although nothing has been finalized.

“Buzzer has proven to be successful at reaching next-generation fans, and the partnership renewals with both the NBA and WNBA are a testament to Buzzer’s unique approach to driving an incremental audience who aren’t otherwise tuning into traditional television,” Steve Pagliuca, a Boston Celtics co-owner and investor in Buzzer, said in a statement. “

The bottom line:

For the Gen Z (born 1997-2010) and Gen Alpha (born 2011-2024) audience, mobile is the primary device as opposed to previous generations that are accustomed to tuning in on television first. New platforms like Buzzer are attempting to drive incremental viewership to live sports programming for young sports fans that are generally more interested in short-form content such as highlights.

Read: Forbes

Newsletter: 10/20/22 issue