NBA Take-Two Media CEO Andrew Perlmutter reveals how sports leagues are unlocking massive Gen Z engagement by transforming basketball fandom into interactive, off-court digital entertainment and creator-led social content.
Traditional sports broadcasts are evolving into multi-platform cultural ecosystems driven by social media, gaming metaverses, and athlete creators.
NBA Take-Two Media CEO Andrew Perlmutter explains how media brands can build participatory off-court entertainment that converts casual viewers into lifelong fans.
🏀 Live sports remain one of the few shared cultural anchors, using basketball as a natural entry point into fashion, music, and lifestyle programming.
🎮 Video games like NBA 2K function as interactive virtual spaces where fans build real connections by playing directly against actual NBA stars.
📱 Content strategy requires building custom video formats tailored specifically to how people consume media on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.
⚡ Younger fans demand hands-on participation over passive watching, preferring interactive features like call-in hotlines and fan-driven video game simulations.
🎙️ Digital media brands must maintain a strong, distinct point of view to avoid getting doused in a sea of generic content.
📺 Live game broadcasts are adapting to second-screen habits through alternate commentary casts and player-specific camera views.
👟 Successful brand partnerships weave products naturally into entertaining social storylines rather than forcing scripted endorsements or rigid ad reads.
🔗 Andrew Perlmutter on LinkedIn
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00:00 Intro
2:22 NBA 2K as a metaverse-like participatory experience
5:30 Sports as an expanding cultural gateway
7:19 NBA R&D and accessible basketball-pop-culture formats
9:05 Joakim Noah’s Nomad and athletes becoming creators
11:08 Building shows for platforms, brand voices, and talent
14:19 Gen Z: preserving live-sports drama while enabling participation
17:00 Co-creation, fan experiments, and new sports entry points
18:57 Native brand partnerships in basketball-adjacent culture