The Challenge
Growing the game of basketball around the world
Basketball is one of the world’s most popular sports. And as a global business, the National Basketball Association (NBA) is constantly upping its game to always deliver the best the sport has to offer.

 

This has meant improving visibility and control of its financial operations while finding new ways to improve the fan experience for the millions of people who follow the game.

 

At the same time, the NBA wanted to build a workforce and culture that reflects the best of basketball. “It’s very important that we as an organization represent the diversity of our fans, our players, and the communities we serve,” says Benjamin Spitzer, Head of HR Technology, NBA. “It’s really an essential part of moving basketball forward.”


Five macro business or technology trends impacting the NBA's industry:

Digital Transformation: The NBA is leveraging technology to enhance the fan experience and improve its financial operations. This trend involves adopting digital solutions and leveraging data analytics to optimize various aspects of the business.

Cloud Computing: The migration of SAP solutions and other IT resources to Microsoft Azure indicates the NBA's adoption of cloud computing. This trend enables scalability, flexibility, and cost-efficiency in managing the organization's technology infrastructure.

Data Analytics: The NBA's focus on building a stat site based on SAP HANA Cloud demonstrates the importance of data analytics in the industry. Analyzing and utilizing vast amounts of statistical data can provide valuable insights for the league and enhance fan engagement.

Fan Engagement: With the increasing digitalization of sports, fan engagement has become a crucial trend. The NBA recognizes the need to keep basketball fans connected to the game by providing them with unlimited access to the league's statistical database and other interactive platforms.

Diversity and Inclusion: The NBA's choice to implement SAP SuccessFactors solutions reflects a growing emphasis on diversity and inclusion within organizations. By leveraging HR solutions, the NBA aims to support a diverse workforce and create equality across the organization.