Screach to stream NBA to commercial premises in Malta

UK-based Screenreach has struck a multiyear agreement with the US National Basketball Association (NBA) to air select games from the NBA season live to commercial venues in Malta via its cloud-based Screach platform. 

In the NBA’s first collaboration of its kind in Europe, Screach will expand its live game offering by making live NBA games available to enterprise venues across Malta, beginning with the upcoming season.

The small Mediterranean island nation has more than 1,100 pubs, bars and nightclubs, over 66,000 hotel beds and attracts three million visitor a year.

The agreement will enable commercial venues to stream NBA games in HD quality, both live and on demand, to their existing TVs with no need for a satellite or cable TV connection.

The Screach platform and app, which were developed by the UK technology firm Screenreach, are designed to help commercial premises harness the power of live sport to attract and retain customers.  Screach also features an on-screen advertising capability that enables venues to turn their TV screens into an advertising platform.

The initial agreement will see Screach stream NBA games to fans in Malta beginning with the 2023-24 season, which tips off on October 24 and culminating with the NBA Finals in June 2024.

Robert Rawlinson, CEO of Screenreach, said: “By collaborating with the NBA, Screenreach is raising the digital bar once again to fully leverage the value of the enterprise space as both a source of commercial subscriptions and a powerful way to reach individual fans. The NBA is a leader in connecting millions of fans through live games and programming, and we’re delighted to be helping the NBA accelerate its growth. We hope our initial launch in Malta will be the first step on a long and successful strategic journey together.”

Steve Nuss, director, global media distribution at the NBA, said: “Making NBA games and programming available to fans year-round, wherever they are, is a key strategic priority for us.As we continue to develop ways to engage with new and existing fans, our collaboration with Screach broadens our reach by streaming the excitement and drama of live NBA action direct to fans in a variety of commercial venues, in turn creating an effectively free-to-air showcase for our games in front of a new audience.”