Twitter is teaming up with the NBA for a new, custom timeline that’s all about the NBA Finals.
The timeline, first reported by Mashable, will aggregate tweets, hand-picked commentary, and exclusive videos related to the NBA Finals, which kick off tomorrow in Golden State.
Live scores of each game will also appear in the timeline, which launches on Twitter’s mobile app on Thursday at 6 a.m. PT for a majority of iOS and Android users who can search for #NBA or #NBAFinals to check out the new feature.
Twitter confirmed that this is the company’s first official partnership with a U.S. major sports league for a “Timeline experience.” The social media giant tested something similar with the NFL and during the World Cup last year.
“The timeline is the perfect complement to watching the game live on TV,” Twitter noted.
Twitter is also again rolling out “Hashflags,” which add a small image to associated hashtags. For example, if you tweet #CLE or #AllinCLE, you’ll see a Cavs logo appear, or if you tweet #GSW or #DubNation, a Warriors logo will appear. #NBA will bring up an NBA logo, while #NBAFinals will include the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Twitter did this during the World Cup last year, and is doing the same for the Women’s World Cup this year.
Finally, Twitter also announced that it is partnering with NBA to show exclusive locker room footage via the @NBA account after the NBA Finals is over, similar to last year:
The Champ is here! Celebrating the @Spurs 2014 #NBAFinals title with @Patty_Mills pic.twitter.com/bT3lMvG0l5
— NBA (@NBA) June 16, 2014
Speaking of Twitter, here’s an interesting analysis on “what Twitter can be” published today by Twitter investor Chris Sacca that sparked quite a bit of conversation from writers, pundits, and shareholders alike.
