Chinese e-commerce leader Alibaba (BABA) has signed a multi-year deal with the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the league makes its long-awaited return to China. The deal comes as the NBA gets ready to play its first-ever games in Macau this weekend, under a five-year partnership with Sands China, a unit of Las Vegas Sands (LVS).
Elevate Your Investing Strategy:
- Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence.
With this move, the NBA hopes to reconnect with Chinese fans and expand its presence in one of its most valuable overseas markets.
Alibaba Steps In to Boost NBA’s Digital Reach
Under the deal, Alibaba Cloud becomes the official cloud and AI partner of NBA China. The company will use its technology to improve the fan experience on the NBA app and other digital platforms across the country.
Alibaba said it will bring more interactive features, live updates, and personalized content to make the NBA app more engaging for fans. The partnership deepens Alibaba’s role in sports and digital media, adding to its existing global projects with the Olympics and UEFA.
NBA Deal Extends Alibaba’s Reach Beyond Retail
For Alibaba, the NBA partnership is another sign of its growth beyond e-commerce. The deal strengthens Alibaba Cloud’s presence in global sports and helps the company expand into new revenue streams.
For context, during the Q1 FY26 earnings call, Alibaba’s Cloud Intelligence Group was the star performer, with revenue jumping 26% year-over-year to 33.4 billion yuan. Growth was fueled by rising enterprise demand for AI services and continued momentum in China’s internet sector.
Analysts believe the new NBA deal could lift Alibaba’s international profile and highlight its strength in AI-driven cloud services.
Is Alibaba Stock a Good Buy Right Now?
Analysts remain bullish about Alibaba’s stock trajectory. With 20 Buy ratings and two Hold ratings, BABA stock commands a Strong Buy consensus rating on TipRanks. Also, the average Alibaba price target of $192.30 implies about 6.17% upside potential from current levels.
