On October 9, ahead of the “Taobao 88VIP – NBA China Games 2025”, NBA China and Alibaba Cloud (阿里云)—the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group —jointly announced in Macau a multi-year strategic partnership. Under the agreement, Alibaba Cloud will become the Official Cloud Computing and Artificial Intelligence Partner of NBA China, with both sides working together to reshape how Chinese fans watch and engage with the NBA through AI and cloud innovation.
Joe Tsai (蔡崇信), Chairman of Alibaba Group and owner of the Brooklyn Nets, and Mark Tatum, NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer, attended the announcement ceremony.
Tsai said: “We are at an exciting moment where sports and technology intersect. AI and cloud are powerful connectors—not only between players and fans, or brands and consumers—but also between global vision and local culture. By bringing Alibaba Cloud’s latest AI and cloud technologies to the NBA, we hope to create an unprecedented experience for Chinese fans and ignite an even deeper passion for basketball.”
Tatum emphasized: “Our collaboration with Alibaba Cloud underscores the NBA’s commitment to leveraging innovative technologies to engage hundreds of millions of fans in China in new ways. In the years ahead, we will work closely with Alibaba Cloud to drive the NBA’s digital transformation in China and deliver a smarter, more immersive fan experience.”
The partnership covers multiple core areas of NBA China’s business, including game streaming, fan interaction, data analytics, and digital asset management. Alibaba Cloud will leverage its AI and cloud computing capabilities to develop a custom AI model for NBA China, fine-tuned from its Tongyi Qianwen (通义千问) large language model series. This AI model will integrate the NBA’s extensive digital assets to generate personalized content for NBA China App users, including real-time game highlights, historical data, in-depth player analysis, and AI-generated commentary and interactive discussions.
During the upcoming NBA China Games 2025, Alibaba Cloud will debut its AI-powered 360-degree real-time replay technology, which uses proprietary algorithms to capture precise player movements and generate immersive panoramic replays that enhance the visual impact of key moments.
NBA China will also use Alibaba Cloud’s AI to build a new interactive fan engagement platform. At this year’s NBA House, fans can experience personalized AI-powered services built on Tongyi Qianwen technology—such as creating virtual NBA avatars, uploading voice samples, and generating AI commentary clips that mimic their own voice—allowing every fan to become their own “personal commentator.”
As part of the long-term collaboration, NBA China will also adopt Alibaba Cloud’s infrastructure to power its major digital platforms, including the NBA China App, official website, and WeChat Mini Program, enhancing speed, content delivery efficiency, and data security. Alibaba Cloud’s intelligent analytics tools will further help NBA China generate deeper insights into fan behavior to improve user experience and business decision-making.
Additionally, Alibaba’s AI-driven apps—Quark (夸克) and Tongyi App (通义App)—will become official marketing partners of NBA China, jointly developing AI-based interactive content and community engagement initiatives to expand the NBA’s reach among younger audiences in China.
The NBA China Games 2025 will be held at The Venetian Macao Cotai Arena on October 10 (Friday, 8 p.m.) and October 12 (Sunday, 7 p.m.), featuring a matchup between the Brooklyn Nets and the Phoenix Suns. This collaboration, integrating sports and technology, marks a major milestone in the NBA’s digital transformation in China.
In closing, Tatum remarked: “AI and cloud technology will not only transform how the NBA operates, but also redefine the future of the global sports industry.”