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NBA wants to help fans create basketball videos for YouTube

The NBA Playmakers project looks to increase the amount of fan-made content.

Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images

Some sports leagues clamp down on the use of game footage on YouTube and social channels while others embrace it. The NBA falls into that latter category and with the help of BroadbandTV, the league wants to give fans what they need to keep the videos coming. NBA Playmakers is the official title of the new initiative, a community for folks who are making basketball-themed content that ranges from shoes to trick shots and more. As part of the project, video makers will get access to the league's video footage, starting with this season's playoffs which are currently in progress.

The first videos for the new initiative will be a series that builds on the "Every Second Counts" playoff campaign. The official TV spot, which features music from Timbaland, already aired. However, as the games move towards the NBA Finals, the fan-produced versions will debut across the league's social channels. There will also be a dedicated YouTube channel for selected videos made through the Playmakers project that's set to go live later this year.

The NBA has already been working with BroadbandTV for quite some time and this new effort is looking to connect with younger fans. While anyone is welcome to participate, those who can produce top-notch videos that connect with millennials will be promoted most. In addition to the internet fame and fortune, other benefits include access to select footage, games/events, production facilities and new merchandise.

"NBA Playmakers brings all of the constituents together to deliver a powerful ecosystem that millennials care about," BBTV's founder and CEO Shahrzad Rafati explained in a press release. "We're empowering creators to build the future of sports entertainment by partnering with one of the most renowned sports leagues in the world, and arming them with the content, tools and solutions they need to be successful."