The National Basketball Association (NBA) is looking to form a closer relationship with their Chinese market, as they ink a deal with China Internet giant Tencent to exclusively stream the games live.

Beginning July, people will be able to stream games live through their computers or mobile phones if they are subscribed to NBA League Pass. This includes access to past games as well.

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With Tencent, the NBA seeks to expand their brand to the direction of the international market. The agreement is set for five years at present, with the amount of the deal undisclosed.

NBA games will now be able to be streamed through Tencent's website, QQ.com, as well as their news and messaging app Weixin.

"This groundbreaking partnership will reach hundreds of millions of daily users across Tencent," NBA China CEO David Shoemaker, said in a press release.

This is not the first move the NBA has made to get closer to their fans in China. Recently, teams like the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets have already unveiled their historic Chinese New Year uniforms.

The uniforms are set to debut when the Warriors meet the San Antonio Spurs on February 20. These uniforms are the first of their kind within the NBA.

Rick Welts, Warriors President and Chief Operating Officer, said that they had been preparing to make these uniforms for two years.

He added that connecting with the Asian community is part of the NBA's current priorities.

Apart from the uniforms, the NBA will be paying tribute to the numerous basketball fans in China with a big celebration on March 4.

The celebration will consist of a record live game broadcast that will be streamed in China. As many as 27 of the 30 teams in the NBA will be showcased.

It is currently unknown whether or not these live game broadcasts will be carried out with Tencent already. 

Tagsstreaming, QQ.com, Weixin