nba teams and athletes leveraging digital marketing strategies explained
The NBA's 2025-26 season was a record digital year: the league's social channels generated 228 billion views in its first season on a new 11-year media deal with ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock and Amazon, and the New York Knicks won the 2026 title. The clearest player marketing story was Stephen Curry, whose year of sneaker free agency ended in a 10-year Li-Ning deal in June 2026.
Rewritten October 12, 2026. The earlier version ranked teams and players by AI-engine citations that could not be verified; this version uses 2025-26 results, league figures and news reports linked below. Part of EPR's Sports PR coverage.
What changed in NBA digital marketing in 2025-26?
The biggest change was distribution. The league announced 11-year agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal and Amazon covering 2025-26 through 2035-36, and the NBA App became the access point that directs fans to national games. Year one delivered: Yahoo Sports reported that 170 million people in the U.S. watched NBA games on its four primary platforms, and that the league's social channels generated a record 228 billion views, up 13%, according to Videocites.
For brands the lesson is that reach now sits across several platforms at once. A team or player's content has to work on broadcast, streaming and social, and the NBA App ties them together.
Which five NBA teams are worth studying?
These five teams produced the biggest moments of the 2025-26 season. The table lists the moment, from the 2025-26 season summary and news reports.
Team
2025-26 moment
Why it matters for marketing
New York Knicks
NBA Cup champions and 2026 NBA champions; Jalen Brunson was Finals MVP
A title in the biggest media market compounds attention
San Antonio Spurs
Western Conference champions and Finals runners-up
A rising team gains audience before it wins
Oklahoma City Thunder
Defending champions and top seed; Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was season MVP
A small market can build a national brand through winning
Los Angeles Lakers
LeBron James and Luka Dončić began their first full season together; Dončić led the league in scoring
Two global stars on one franchise multiply content
Golden State Warriors
Opened the season against the Lakers; Stephen Curry's sneaker free agency
A star's business decision became the season's main off-court story
What was Stephen Curry's sneaker free agency campaign?
Curry turned a contract decision into a months-long public story. ESPN reported that he and Under Armour ended their partnership on November 13, 2025, with Curry Brand moving forward independently and Curry free to wear other brands.
During the 2025-26 season he wore a wide range of brands, which kept fans guessing, and the San Francisco Chronicle reported he raised about $1.7 million for his charitable foundation by auctioning more than 70 pairs. On June 1, 2026 he announced a 10-year Li-Ning deal in an Instagram and X video calling it "the partnership of a lifetime." Sports Illustrated reported, citing ESPN, that the deal is worth over $400 million and spans basketball, athleisure, golf and the ability to sign athletes under Curry Brand.
The marketing lesson is that a free-agency year, handled openly, can generate more attention than a single signing announcement, and can raise money for a cause along the way. EPR's Curry digital marketing and PR breakdown covers his wider operation.
Which five NBA players are worth studying?
Player
2025-26 marketing angle
Stephen Curry (Warriors)
Sneaker free agency and a reported $400 million-plus Li-Ning deal
Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
Finals MVP on the team that won the 2026 title
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
Season MVP on the top seed
Luka Dončić (Lakers)
Scoring leader alongside LeBron James in Los Angeles
Cooper Flagg (Mavericks)
Top pick of the 2025 draft, a rookie brand-building case
The New York Knicks won the 2026 NBA Finals over the San Antonio Spurs, and Jalen Brunson was Finals MVP, according to the 2025-26 season summary.
How many views did the NBA's social channels get in 2025-26?
The league's social media channels generated a record 228 billion views in 2025-26, up 13% from the previous season, according to Videocites as reported by Yahoo Sports.
What shoe company did Stephen Curry sign with?
Curry signed a 10-year deal with Li-Ning on June 1, 2026, after ending his partnership with Under Armour in November 2025. Sports Illustrated reported, citing ESPN, that the deal is worth over $400 million.
What is the NBA's new media rights deal?
The NBA signed 11-year agreements with Disney (ABC/ESPN), NBCUniversal (NBC/Peacock) and Amazon (Prime Video) that began with the 2025-26 season and run through 2035-36. Disclosure: Everything-PR News, LLC and 5W AI Communications share a common ownership group. Everything-PR reports independently on the communications industry. Editorial decisions are made by Everything-PR's editorial team.
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EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team is the staff byline for news, analysis and features on communications, reputation, AI visibility and digital discovery. Everything-PR has published since 2009. AI tools assist with research and drafting, and every article is reviewed by a human editor before publication. Coverage follows the Editorial Policy, and substantive corrections are noted on the article under the Corrections Policy.
