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Type: article
Parent page: Tournaments and Competitions
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The NBA is an all men’s basketball league in North America. It was founded on June 6 in 1948. It has developed over the years to become a giant in basketball. It currently comprises of 30 teams, 29 spread across the United States of America and one from Canada. They have a very unique playing format whereby the teams play against each other in an 82-game season. The winner is determined based on the highest points accumulated.
Ranking
The NBA is ranked the third-most-expensive league in the USA. It commands a huge fan base across the globe. It is also regarded as the most competitive and demanding basketball league there is. Players choose to play for NBA teams over some better paying clubs in Europe. Most players in the USA dream to play in the NBA. The league attracts interest even from foreign players. In the 2013-2014 season, 20% of the league comprised of foreign players. There was a total of 92 players representing 39 different nationalities.
Viewership
The NBA is the most-watched basketball league in the world. It has expensive television rights as a result. The league attracts very lucrative sponsorship deals. Recently they allowed sponsors to have their names printed on the official jerseys becoming the first basketball league to do so.
The NBA has also participated in international competitions. In 1987 to 1999 the winner of the NBA league played the FIBA champions in what was termed as the McDonald’s Championship. The NBA invitee won every single series of the trophy. NBA teams also play teams from the Euro league in exhibition matches after the regular league. These games have massive viewership.
The NBA is the most viewed national basketball league in the USA. A survey conducted in 2013 showed that the NBA had a huge number of young fans, with over 45% of viewers being under the age of 35.