NEW YORK – The 2019-2020 NBA season restart will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in 47 languages on their televisions, computers, mobile phones and tablets, highlighting a whole new game with a more connected and immersive experience for fans.
This includes the 88 “seeding games” beginning July 30 as well as behind-the-scenes coverage and interviews from ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
The 22 teams participating in the season restart feature 89 international players from 34 countries and territories.
Primetime broadcast
The 88 seeding games include 41 games that will air in primetime in Latin America and 40 games that will air in primetime in Europe, the Middle East and Africa on the NBA’s broadcast partners in those regions and NBA League Pass, the most-ever games to air in primetime internationally in a two-week period.
The season restart will be available in Africa on ESPN, Canal+, beIN Sports, TV5Monde (Pan Africa), ZAP (Angola and Mozambique) and e.TV (South Africa).
1 day until the NBA Restart!
— NBA (@NBA) July 29, 2020
Finally, it's time to ball 🏀 Seeding Games begin TOMORROW (7/30) on TNT with Jazz and Pelicans at 6:30 PM ET, then Clippers and Lakers at 9:00 PM ET!#24in24 #WholeNewGame pic.twitter.com/S2GJUlJw40
Virtual fan experience
While fans won’t be physically present at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, more than 300 NBA fans each game will be invited to appear live on the “Michelob ULTRA Courtside” 17-foot video boards surrounding the court. Additionally, all viewers will have the ability to impact visual effects in the venue through a virtual cheering experience.
Fans can digitally cheer for their team through the NBA App and NBA.com and on Twitter using team hashtags throughout the game. Virtual cheering will be reflected on the video-boards in-venue with graphics and animations that capture the level of fan engagement around the world.
⚡️ Ahead of NBA Restart on July 30th, recap the 1st in the East @Bucks' 2019-20 regular season so far! #WholeNewGamehttps://t.co/bbQmVMndTn
The restart
The 22 teams participating in the season restart will play eight seeding games each from July 30 – August 14 at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
The seeding games will conclude on August 14.
If a play-in is required to determine the eighth playoff seed in either conference, it will take place on August 15-16.
The first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs will begin on August 17.
Staff Reporter