The NBA has come together to help others cope with the global health crisis.
Weeks after announcing it was suspending its season over coronavirus concerns, the league announced the launch of its NBA Together campaign. The digital initiative is anchored by the powerful voices associated with the league, as well as its far-reaching digital presence. The goal of the program is to engage, educate, and support fans across the world as they navigate this time of uncertainty.
The program is centered on four pillars – Know the Facts, Acts of Caring, Expand Your Community and NBA Together Live – that will amplify the latest global health and safety information, share guidelines and resources, and keep people and communities socially connected through digital tools and virtual events as everyone copes with the impact of the pandemic.
As its name suggests, Know the Facts will provide the public with important information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, providing stats and updates from trusted sources, like top U.S. health experts from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Acts of Caring will celebrate "the power of community and volunteerism" through the use of social media. The league is calling on its athletes and general public to collectively carry out 1 million big and small acts of kindness. Those who are inspired to do so are encouraged to share their deeds—such as buying groceries for a neighbor or donating supplies—on social media using the hashtag #NBATogether
Expand Your Community aims to combat some of the downsides that come with social distancing through the use of interactive content. This initiative will include the launch of Jr. NBA at Home, an online series for youth who are unable "to play with their friends and teammates, but still want to be active, work on their game and connect with the NBA." The program includes inspirational messages from NBA and WNBA players, virtual lessons from professional athletes and educators, resources for mental wellness, as well as at-home basketball skills and drills that can be done alone with limited space.
NBA Together Live is an online broadcast series in which a member of the NBA family will answer questions from fans via Instagram Live. The series kicked off Friday with Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love; future broadcasts will take place every weekday at 3 p.m. ET.
Additionally, the NBA will stream classic games on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch every night. In partnership with Turner Sports, the league will also offer a free preview of NBA League Pass until April 22. The offering will give fans access to an archive of classic games and content as well as replays of all games from the 2019-20 season. You can take advantage of this limited-time offer by signing into your NBA account through NBA.com or the NBA app.
But that's not all. The NBA family has also committed to help raising more than $50 million for those who've been directed affected by the coronavirus outbreak. NBA and WNBA teams and players have already collectively pledged $30 million to benefit community and health care organizations.
Furthermore, a number of basketball stars have also filmed a series of online PSAs that provide tips for reducing risk and staying healthy. You can check out some of these messages below.
