Turner Sports, Google Team Up to Reach Fans With Real-Time Video Ads During 2016 NBA Tip-Off

On NBA Opening Night, Tuesday, Oct. 25, Turner Sports and Google are teaming up to create in-the-moment video ads to engage fans in real-time as the action happens. Raw video content captured before, during and after the games will be quickly transformed into branded video ads and delivered programmatically to key audiences through Google’s DoubleClick Bid Manager platform. The ads will also appear on the NBA on TNT YouTube Channel and Turner’s other social platforms.

Using DoubleClick’s experimental ‘in the moment’ programmatic video-capture technology (dubbed Project Instant), Turner Sports will be able to create and produce branded ads that feel similar to content fans are already seeing in their social feeds. Ad content will feature behind the scenes footage of TNT’s Inside the NBA studio team of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal as well as player warmups, fan reactions from the Quicken Loans and Oracle Arena and more. Turner Sports is the first to market sports content through DoubleClick’s Project Instant.

TNT will officially tip off the season with a doubleheader showcasing the defending NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers hosting the New York Knicks at 7:30 p.m., followed by the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs at 10:30 p.m. The night’s coverage will begin with pre-game programming at 5 p.m. including the Cavaliers’ ring ceremony.