| MUMBAI:
Keeping an eye on the Indian market, the National Basketball Association (NBA)
has for the first time opened up its live matches to the online viewers in India.
The company, which
has tied up with Hewlett Packard (HP), is offering Indian fans a free preview
of live regular matches of the NBA Playoff race from 1 April to 15 April on NBA.tv.
Also for the first time Indian audiences are offered a subscription package for
the 2009 NBA Playoffs, which is scheduled to start from April 18. The
pricing of the subscription package is yet to be decided and will be announced
once the trial version expires. NBA
and HP are offering the NBA League Pass Broadband International, a subscription
service that gives fans access to a complete season of live NBA game webcasts
on NBA.tv. This service is currently available in 75 countries worldwide. Last
October, NBA and HP announced a multi-year marketing partnership that includes
development of joint technology initiatives to enhance the overall game experience
for basketball fans in the country. Says
HP India director corporate marketing Bina Raj-Debur, "This year in India,
HP is actively involved in programs like NBA League Pass Broadband, NBA Cares
and other on-ground activation programs. We hope basketball fans in India enjoy
watching the games online using League Pass Broadband. As we go forward, we will
bring more innovative programs and products to Indian consumers through the HP-NBA
association." NBA
is looking at developing basketball courts in India under the NBA Cares program
as part of its initiative to spread the sport in the country. For
starters, NBA has partnered with Basketball Federation of India (BFI), HP and
TCS and has upgraded a basketball court and providing equipment at the Nagpada
Neighborhood House in Mumbai. A court dedication ceremony will take place on 8
April, followed by two days of coaching and youth clinics led by NBA legend AC
Green. Also
Read: NBA
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