The NBA and WNBA have signed a multi-year agreement with TikTok aimed at increasing live game viewership and strengthening fan engagement.
Under the partnership, creators will gain greater access to events and highlights, while TikTok GamePlan will be used to help fans discover live games directly through the platform.
The financial terms and exact duration of the agreement were not disclosed. However, the partnership will also create new opportunities for advertisers through TikTok Pulse Premiere.
TikTok GamePlan is a suite of products designed to help teams, leagues and media partners increase fan discovery and engagement.
TikTok data highlights NBA’s audience potential
One of the key objectives of the partnership is to increase live viewership for professional basketball leagues. According to TikTok data, users are 42% more likely to tune into live games after watching sports content on the platform.
The strategy was already put to the test during the NBA Finals. The league used TikTok GamePlan to create two fan experiences.
A dedicated page on the platform generated 497 million impressions, while TikTok searches resulted in 426,000 recommendations to watch live games through the NBA’s “Tap to Watch” feature.
TikTok estimates that nearly half of its 1 billion users follow basketball in some way. Around one-third of its total user base says it is interested in the NBA.
The platform also estimates that 64% of women searching for sports content choose TikTok.
NBA and WNBA continue to expand their digital reach
Global interest in the NBA and WNBA on social media has increased by approximately 30% and 15%, respectively, since the beginning of 2026.
The NBA and WNBA’s official TikTok accounts have a combined 30 million followers worldwide.
The agreement comes as the NBA continues to advance plans for the creation of NBA Europe, reflecting the league’s broader international growth strategy.
The TikTok partnership also highlights a growing strategy across the sports industry: the journey to a live game no longer begins when the broadcast starts. It increasingly begins with a short video on social media.