The @NBA season is finally here and the road to a championship begins for 30 determined teams. No matter where allegiances lie, all NBA fans can count on Twitter for nonstop basketball conversation and content.
To ensure you’re ready for a new season, make sure to follow @NBA, your favorite teams and favorite players. On TV, the NBA returns to TNT (@NBAonTNT), ESPN (@ESPNNBA and @ESPN), and NBA TV (@NBATV).
Fans can once again add color to their Tweets as Twitter and the NBA launched exclusive hashtag triggered emojis for the 2018-19 season. Check out the team hashtags that will automatically render emojis here:
Again this year, the NBA will make real-time game highlights available for fans from @NBA on Twitter throughout the season, offering fans the ability to follow all of the action this season at home or on the go.
@NBA and team accounts will also continue to go live throughout the year, brining fans behind the scenes before, during and after the action on the court!
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While the season is just getting underway, #NBATwitter never stopped. #NBATwitter encompasses some of the best and most engaged fans in sports and the conversation spikes - on and off court moments - beats top cultural and sports events throughout the year. In fact, entering the 2018-19 season, the NBA is the most Tweeted about sports league of 2018.
From the @Warriors third championship in four seasons to LeBron James’ (@KingJames) move to Los Angeles highlighting Free Agency chatter, the NBA offseason happened on Twitter. These are the most Tweeted about moments since the NBA Finals ended in June:
Superstars on the move, award winners and top personalities dominated offseason conversation on Twitter from a player perspective. Here is a list of the most mentioned NBA players this offseason on Twitter:
Big names switching teams got fans excited this offseason with @KingJames, @kawhileonard and @boogiecousins all heading to new cities in 2018. And fans saluted @manuginobili as he announced his retirement before training camps began.
These teams have fans most excited entering the 2018-19 season:
Celebrating #NBATwitter
Speaking of #NBATwitter, Twitter will continue to celebrate the incredible community of athletes fans and influencers all season long.
Throughout the season, @TwitterSports will also continue its #NBATwitter content series with new videos, GIFs and other fun content highlighting the never-ending conversation on the platform around NBA related topics.
“My Moment, My City”
To celebrate NBA Tip-Off 2018 presented by Autotrader, Turner Sports has unveiled its new marketing campaign – “My Moment, My City” – for NBA Opening Week on TNT. The multi-pronged campaign includes posters and mural art created by local artists illustrating the connection between the NBA and tip-off markets including the Bay Area, Boston, Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia and Portland.
The artwork illustrates the connection between the NBA’s “superfans” on Twitter and the tip-off markets they love. Twitter created a way for these superfans to receive custom artwork uniquely featuring their favorite cities by hearting Tweets via a “heart-to-subscribe” program.
The mural art was created by local artists and produced through Niche, the platform that provides creators with the ability to grow, understand, and activate their social presence across networks. A part of the Twitter family since 2015, Niche works with creators worldwide alongside top brands to develop authentic and resonating branded content.
Additionally, Turner Sports has partnered with Twitter on a “heart-to-subscribe” program. The program will provide fans – those who “like” @NBAonTNT’s designated tweets leading up to Opening Week – an opportunity to receive tune-in reminders and a copy of a digital poster from each artist. Fans will be able to set up reminders about each week’s games from Opening Night through Thursday, Nov 8.
Fans that opt into the Twitter “heart-to-subscribe” program and are located in those markets will receive an opportunity to win a physical team-specific poster via Fooji prior to the start of the first game of the NBA season – Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics on TNT (8 p.m. ET).
“My Moment, My City” will also be featured in hand-painted murals, storefront posters, billboards and more across each tip-off city.
The season is finally here! For more game highlights, player content and fan reactions, keep Twitter close and be part of the conversation all season long!
