Mark Tatum

When Tatum attends the Legends Brunch at All-Star Weekend or inductions at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, he doesn’t run into colleagues or past associates; it's more like a family. “It really does feel like a family reunion,” he says. “The fraternity of people who have contributed to the sport and the league, in particular, it’s a relatively small group.”

The Cornell and Harvard alumnus joined the NBA in 1999. As the NBA’s Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer, Tatum heads up the League’s business operations, including their international efforts. He also oversees the global partnerships, marketing, communications and business operations departments for both the NBA and the G League. Expanding the game globally is the aspect of his role that he values the most.

When you consider the number of one-name superstars hailing from outside the United States — Luka, Giannis, Joel, to name a few — along with worldwide celebrities such as LeBron James, does the NBA need any more exposure?

Tatum believes it does. The NBA’s global status is “remarkable,” but he intends to "expand the fan base and deepen their connection to the game.”

Tatum says the thrust of the NBA’s international plan is “grassroots, building the game and getting more people to play around the world.” That involves bringing “the live experience” to fans outside the United States and making sure the league’s programming is more accessible globally.

Has the NBA considered introducing an expansion franchise outside of North America?

“In terms of an international franchise, I’ll never say never,” Tatum finally says, “but I think right now the challenge is the travel that would be required. I think it's possible in North America, obviously in Canada and even in Mexico. I would think, at some point, that’s something we’re going to look at and try to figure out. But it’s not on the immediate horizon.”

The drive to increase basketball’s international audience is why Tatum is never bored. But he says the NBA hasn't forgotten about engaging the fans in the States that made the league relevant. Cable, videotapes and 1992’s fabled Dream Team turned a hard-charging domestic enterprise into an international colossus.

Tatum explains that the addition of the play-in game to the NBA’s postseason has also added excitement to the playoffs and the playoff race for the fans.

Additionally, “The G League’s expansion with Team Ignite, consisting of high school graduates wanting to go pro, helped Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga become lottery picks in 2021,” he says, offering another example of advancements to help domestic fan engagement.

However, Tatum feels the most significant initiative moving forward will be how the game is presented. That means new camera angles, audio feeds, and apps as ways to attract new fans, most of whom have only known a wired, every-option-right-now world.

“We are fan-driven and fan-centric,” Tatum explains. “Our sport doesn’t thrive, doesn’t grow without fans. We know we have fans from five years old to 95 years old. We are constantly trying to think about how we can best serve the fan. We know some people will want it on their traditional television and traditional channels. Still, we also know there’s a generation of people who no longer have cable access, and they want to stream on their mobile device.”