- Mobile users to receive customised and curated alerts
- Buzzer signed distribution deal with NBA League Pass in May
- Amazon Prime Video also unveils slate of WNBA games to be livestreamed in India
The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has penned an agreement with Buzzer for the short-form sports video platform to distribute live game content from the league.
The tie-up makes the WNBA the first women’s professional sports league to feature on Buzzer.
Beginning 25th August, the platform will provide access to WNBA League Pass, the WNBA’s live out-of-market streaming service, giving fans mobile access to games through customised and curated alerts.
In addition to serving up ten-second previews, Buzzer will offer live regular season games on League Pass, available for purchase through micropayments. Full-season League Pass sales will also be available through the platform.
Buzzer already has a connection with the WNBA through New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, who is an investor in the company.
Buzzer previously struck a deal with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in May to distribute the league’s own League Pass streaming product. Now, the WNBA agreement adds to a partnership portfolio that includes short-form live rights deals with the likes of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the PGA Tour.
“Every market signal indicates that there’s an incredible appetite for women’s sports, yet there are still massive barriers to entry for fans to discover and watch,” said Bo Han, Buzzer’s founder and chief executive.
“Buzzer serves as a bridge to bring the magic of live sports to more fans. Through this partnership, we hope to help convert the incredible awareness and cultural currency the WNBA is experiencing into actual tune-in, bringing an even larger live audience to the league and its players.
“A true sports community cannot exist without women’s sports represented, and we’re thrilled to welcome the WNBA onto the platform as we further our commitment to an even playing field with the democratisation and elevation of women’s sports.”
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert added: “The WNBA is proud to become the first women’s professional league to join Buzzer’s expanding lineup of major professional sports to be offered on the platform.
“We are continually looking for innovative ways to engage and attract fans, and this partnership with Buzzer will provide greater exposure to our game and will showcase the elite play on the court by WNBA players.”
In other WNBA news, Amazon Prime Video has announced it will live stream games in India from the league’s ongoing season.
Prime Video members in the country will have access to six games from the second half of the 2021 campaign, which began with the fixture between the Liberty and Seattle Storm on 21st August.
It will be the first taste of live sports streaming for Prime Video subscribers in India and follows Amazon’s multi-year contract for a package of WNBA games signed in May. While billed as a global deal, it does not cover China, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Finland and Germany.
