“A unique, innovative and virtuous partnership”: the NBA will broadcast matches from the French Championship

2024-01-11 05:10:18

While the Accor Arena hosts the 3rd edition of the NBA Paris Game this Thursday (8 p.m.) – with a duel between Brooklyn and Cleveland – the prestigious and powerful American basketball league announced, this Wednesday, various partnerships with France. A year after offering the American public the chance to discover live the arabesques of a certain Victor Wembanyama in the Metropolitans 92 jerseys, the NBA has decided to repeat the experience.

From Saturday January 20, it will broadcast a live match from the Betclic Elite French Championship every week on its app. Broadcast for the United States and more than 150 other countries around the world. The first meeting concerned will pit Elan Chalon against JL Bourg. The latter had already had the honors of the first broadcast on the NBA app last year. At the time she was the Mets’ opponent. This time, it is she who is in the spotlight thanks to the presence in her ranks of the nugget Zaccharie Risacher. The elegant and versatile winger is announced in the top 3 of the next NBA draft.

French talents will be exposed

But if last year, the broadcasts only concerned the Wemby Mets and Bilal Coulibaly, this time the NBA should offer other posters. The French Championship has many young players announced on the other side of the Atlantic soon. In addition to Risacher, Melvin Ajinca (Saint-Quentin), Zacharie Perrin (Antibes), and Tidjane Salaün (Cholet) should indeed appear in the next draft.

In a press release, the NBA recalls that “France has more NBA players than any other country outside North America, including a record number of 14 this season”. “NBA games and programming are broadcast live in France on BeIN Sports and NBA League Pass, including more than 40 weekend games in prime time this season, as part of “NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays” », Continues the press release.

A new Junior NBA 3×3 league

Furthermore, and to continue to maintain this link, the NBA announced “a collaboration program including a series of initiatives aimed at raising basketball in France and Africa at all levels” among young basketball players. New competitions should therefore see the light of day soon. In the spring, the NBA and the FFBB will also launch a new Junior NBA 3×3 league in Marseille for 450 young people aged 13 and from at least 30 schools in the city. Other announcements are expected.

Last year, on the occasion of the NBA Paris Game, Adam Silver, the boss of the NBA, was received at the Élysée by President Emmanuel Macron. “We are pleased to expand our ongoing efforts with President Emmanuel Macron and the French basketball community to expand youth basketball development programs ahead of the highly anticipated Olympic basketball competition this summer,” said Adam Silver in the press release. There is incredible momentum around basketball and the NBA in France, and through these efforts we hope to inspire the next generation of French players and fans. »

“I am proud that the NBA has chosen France for this unique, innovative and virtuous partnership,” said President Macron in the same press release. This is excellent news for all basketball fans in France, and a real boost for our best young players as well as for all our professional basketball clubs and leagues.”