Threads, the social network owned by Meta, is expanding its offerings to include live sports scores, starting with NBA basketball.
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, announced this new initiative and mentioned that more leagues will be added shortly. This move is in line with the platform’s recent decision to emphasize sports and move away from political content.
During a live game, users can simply search for the teams involved, and Threads will display the up-to-date score. If the game is over, a search will provide the final score. Users can also search for a game ahead of time to find out when it will start.
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Each score is accompanied by the logos of the two teams, and tapping on these logos will redirect users to a conversation about that specific team.
This feature on Threads bears resemblance to how another platform, X, started showing live sports scores back in 2017 when it was known as Twitter. By incorporating live sports scores, Threads aims to capture the “real time” vibe of a dynamic social network.
Furthermore, Instagram, which is also owned by Meta, has recently stopped recommending political content and has been focusing on sports-related content.
Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has been actively engaging with NBA fans on Threads, recognizing the community of basketball enthusiasts as a great example of what the platform aims to foster.
According to a spokesperson from Threads, basketball has become one of the most popular topics on the platform, and the NBA threads have become one of the most active sports communities.
This aligns with the significant presence of NBA discourse on X, which is often referred to as “NBA Twitter” in sports media. The NBA Twitter community frequently drives coverage and conversation about the professional basketball league.
Apple has also recently announced its own sports-related initiative. The first-party sports iPhone app provides real-time stats for various major leagues, including the NBA, and displays live score data on the lock screen during a game.
This demonstrates the growing interest in incorporating sports updates and information into popular platforms.
Aside from the introduction of live sports scores, Threads has been making other notable updates. The platform has introduced a new algorithm-tuning feature that allows users to swipe left and right on posts to personalize their content.
Additionally, Threads has announced a beta test that enables users to share content to Mastodon and other fediverse services, expanding its reach beyond its own platform.
While the live scores feature is currently in its testing phase, it is evident that Threads is making efforts to create a more engaging and diverse user experience by incorporating real-time sports updates and fostering communities around popular sports like NBA basketball.
