A Strategic Leap into Sports Streaming Supremacy
Coupang Play, South Korea’s rapidly growing OTT platform, has landed a major win in the sports streaming landscape by acquiring exclusive broadcasting rights to the NBA, the world’s premier basketball league.
As part of this deal, Coupang Play subscribers with a Sports Pass will be able to stream at least seven NBA games per week, all with Korean-language commentary. Coverage will include the NBA All-Star Game, Playoffs, and the NBA Finals, bringing top-tier basketball directly to Korean screens.
More Than Just Games
To drive deeper fan engagement, Coupang Play is also producing:
- Pre- and post-game analysis
- Original shoulder content
- Cultural storytelling around basketball’s influence in Korea and beyond
This multi-format content approach reflects a shift from simple rights acquisition to fan-first entertainment ecosystems— a hallmark of next-gen sports OTT platforms.
South Korea’s Growing NBA Affinity
While South Korea has only seen one NBA player — Ha Seung-Jin, who played briefly for the Portland Trail Blazers — the league commands massive popularity across Asia. The NBA’s 2024–25 broadcast footprint spans:
- WOWOW (Japan)
- Astro (Malaysia)
- Champions TV (Indonesia)
- One Sports (Philippines)
- Tencent, CCTV, Great Sports & SiTV (China)
The Korean market, long considered under-tapped by the NBA, now becomes a strategic growth zone, especially with Coupang Play replacing SpoTV as the new rights holder.
Bibigo, Branding, and Korean Soft Power
Adding cultural weight to Korea’s NBA relevance is Bibigo, the South Korean food giant and jersey patch sponsor of the Los Angeles Lakers. Their $100M+ deal (2021–2026) underscores the NBA’s branding potential in Korea and Asia as a whole — making Coupang’s move both timely and commercially intelligent.
Why This Move Matters
At 365247 Consultancy, we see Coupang Play’s NBA acquisition as part of a larger, high-stakes OTT playbook that other markets can learn from.
5 Strategic Lessons for OTT Platforms:
- Localized Commentary Is Currency – Korean-language commentary turns global content into local fandom.
- Original Programming Adds Depth – Cultural and analytical content builds retention and narrative.
- Replace, Don’t Compete – Taking over from SpoTV shows Coupang is not chasing viewers; it’s consolidating them.
- Cross-Sport Ecosystems Win – With NFL, F1, La Liga, Bundesliga, and the K League already in their portfolio, Coupang is building an unmatchable vertical.
- Cultural Integration Creates Differentiation – From Bibigo to Coupang, Korean brands are reshaping how global sports rights are activated at home.
At 365247 Consultancy, we work with:
- Streaming platforms looking to expand sports content
- Leagues entering new international markets
- Brands activating partnerships through content, not just logos
Let us help you:
Design your rights acquisition strategy
Build content stacks beyond the 90 minutes
Localize your product for culture, not just language
Create bundled fan experiences that travel across screens
Book your introductory call here.
Join the 365247 Community here.
IMAGE: Getty Images
