NBA 2K and Genius Sports found the cheat code for drawing more fans to the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup: Turn it into a video game.
As TNT Sports’ networks and platforms show the tournament’s quarterfinal and semifinal knockout rounds across its networks and platforms, NBA 2k and Genius Sports will use graphic overlays and in-game data for an alternate broadcast that looks more like NBA 2K25.
The NBA 2K25 Datacast on truTV and Max broadcasts overlay NBA 2K25 game elements, including its shot meter, badges, and camera angle, into game coverage. Meanwhile, Genius Sports’ GeniusIQ machine learning and AI tracks players and gauges their shot probability, shot distance, and other statistics throughout the broadcasts.
The Datacast also features insights from former NBA star Vince Carter, WNBA champion and Adidas executive Candace Parker, former NBA player Channing Frye, and analysts Adam Lefkoe and Kirk Goldsberry. Gamers who watch all of the Datacast broadcasts will also have the chance to redeem six NBA 2K25 Locker Codes, unlocking in-game packs that give players access to one of 11 NBA superstars for their own lineup.
Genius Sports has partnered with the NFL, WNBA, English Premier League, and others to integrate data into their game presentations—and even in-stadium highlights and replays meant to emulate home broadcasts. But altcasts like the NBA 2K25 Datacast give Genius Sports, the NBA, and broadcast sponsors at TNT Sports a point of entry for fans who might not otherwise watch a game.
“Genius Sports is driving a new era of broadcast innovation, launching immersive, fully branded altcasts that enable brands to capture the attention of the next generation of fans,” said Josh Linforth, Genius Sports’ chief revenue officer. “We’re excited to be working with Warner Broadcast Discovery and TNT to bring this groundbreaking new broadcast mode to life.”
With TNT Sports parent Warner Bros. Discovery recently reaching a deal with the NBA—where it promotes the league through TNT Sports and Bleacher Report and continues producing Inside the NBA for distribution through ESPN and ABC—there’s an opportunity to show the value of alternative broadcasts like the 2k25 Datacast. Much like podcasts and live video content that have become extensions of TNT Sports’ ecosystem and enhanced the value of its rights deals for both leagues and sponsors, the altcasts present another opportunity to bring more players, leagues, and sponsors into the huddle.