NBA NEWS - NBA and DOCOMO announce multiyear collaboration to livestream NBA games in Japan

Through the collaboration, DOCOMO will livestream select regular-season, playoff and Conference Finals games, NBA All-Star, and the NBA 2K Summer League. Beginning with the 2026-27 season, DOCOMO will also livestream the NBA Finals every other year.

TOKYO

Saturday August 23, 2025

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and NTT DOCOMO, INC. announced a multiyear collaboration that will see DOCOMO livestream NBA games and original programming to fans in Japan beginning with the 2025-26 season that tips off on Tuesday, Oct. 21 in the U.S. The collaboration makes DOCOMO an official media partner of the NBA in Japan.

Through the collaboration, DOCOMO will livestream select regular-season, playoff and Conference Finals games, NBA All-Star, and the NBA 2K Summer League. Beginning with the 2026-27 season, DOCOMO will also livestream the NBA Finals every other year. DOCOMO's coverage will feature select games and events with Japanese commentary, as well as highlights and exclusive original content. Additionally, DOCOMO will launch a new season-long wraparound show providing commentary and analysis of the latest NBA results and news.

Subscribers of Docomo MAX and Docomo Poikatsu MAX telecommunications plans will have access to livestream NBA games at no additional charge and the ability to participate in exclusive promotions for the opportunity to win NBA experiences. The NBA and DOCOMO will also conduct fan engagement activities to deepen the league's connection with fans in Japan.

"A long-term collaboration with the NBA is an exciting milestone for DOCOMO," said President and Chief Executive Officer NTT DOCOMO Yoshiaki Maeda. "With our video streaming service Lemino and our operation of state-of-the-art venues such as IG Arena, we believe DOCOMO is uniquely positioned to deliver the NBA's world-class basketball content to fans nationwide - especially to younger generations and children. Through this collaboration, we hope to inspire more young people in Japan to dream big and embrace the spirit of challenge, and ultimately to see more players from Japan thrive in the NBA in the future. With our new telecommunications plan, Docomo MAX, we aim to offer an unparalleled NBA experience that goes beyond expectations - developed in close collaboration with the NBA. In the years ahead, our ambition is not only to stream live games, but also to create diverse content, events, and immersive opportunities that deepen the connection between NBA fans in Japan and the game itself."

"DOCOMO's extensive national reach and commitment to innovation will be instrumental in continuing to grow basketball and the NBA in Japan," said NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum. "We look forward to working together to provide comprehensive coverage of the NBA to our passionate fans across the country and to engaging them in new and creative ways."

The NBA's presence in Japan spans more than 30 years. Thirteen NBA teams having played 16 preseason and regular-season games in the country since 1990, and four Japanese players have played in the NBA. NBA games and programming have aired in Japan since the 1988-89 season, and officially licensed NBA merchandise is available at more than 700 retail stores across the country and at NBAStore.jp. The league has also hosted a variety of NBA Cares social impact and youth basketball developments events and programs in Japan, including the Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA, NBA Basketball School and Basketball Without Borders. In January 2025, the NBA and the Japan Professional Basketball League (B.LEAGUE) announced a strategic collaboration with plans to establish a framework to advance basketball development in Japan.

Fans in Japan can follow the NBA's localized social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, "Friend" the NBA's official account on LINE by adding @nba_global, download the NBA App and visit NBA.com.

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