The 2017 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors are the first NBA team to launch an account on the messaging platform Rakuten Viber, it was announced today. The Warriors will use Rakuten Viber to communicate directly with fans on a global scale, including through tools such as a chat bot available in multiple languages, a free sticker pack and weekly trivia contests with exclusive prizes for fans.
The Warriors’ chat bot will provide fans with instant access to schedule information, standings, team news, team videos, tickets and live in-game score updates. It is currently available in the following 10 languages, including the native languages of Warriors center Zaza Pachulia (Georgian) and Warriors forward Omri Casspi (Hebrew) beginning today:
- English
- Bulgarian
- Croatian
- Georgian
- Greek
- Hebrew
- Hungarian
- Russian
- Serbian
- Ukrainian
The Warriors free sticker pack, which features every member of the current Warriors roster, will be available to Rakuten Viber users beginning February 27. Stickers are a prevalent form of communication on Viber, and the Warriors sticker pack will provide users with the opportunity to express themselves with custom Warriors player images via messaging. In connection with the launch, fans will also be able to participate in weekly trivia for a variety of exclusive prizes, including autographed memorabilia or tickets to a Warriors game.
“Adding Rakuten Viber to our portfolio of digital marketing efforts is crucial for us to continue our global growth as a brand,” said Jennifer Millet, Golden State Warriors Vice President of Marketing and Digital. “As the game of basketball expands around the world, and especially with the international players on our roster, Rakuten Viber provides the perfect vehicle for us to directly interact with our fans globally.”
“As a Warriors fan, working together to bring them front and center to a global audience on Rakuten Viber is amazing," Viber CEO Djamel Agaoua said. “We are able to offer Warriors fans around the world something that truly enhances their fan experience and makes it easy to share their love for the game.”
Rakuten Viber, the official instant messaging and calling app partner of the Golden State Warriors, has reached more than 900 million registered users since 2010.