Mobile Legends: Bang Bang's MPL Indonesia lands partnership with NBA

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s MPL Indonesia has partnered with the NBA.

As reported by Esports Insider, Moonton Games' business development manager, Martinus Manurung, revealed that the MPL Indonesia–NBA partnership has been nearly two years in the making.

“We’ve always taken into account that traditional sports are like our big brother, big sister,” said Manurung. 

“We’ve always used them as references, especially the NBA and basketball, because it’s technically five versus five.

“Then, of course, the franchise model from the NBA has always been something that we’ve learned a lot [from]. Even a simple thing as the championship ring, which we use in [MPL] Season 10 and up till now.”

Esports growth in Indonesia 

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang’s Indonesian league consistently draws over two million peak viewers for sports franchises like the NBA to engage younger, digital-native audiences.

NBA player and Dewa United Banten star Jordan Adams commented: “What I know about esports, I know it’s very big here in Indonesia,” he said. “As far as my club, Dewa, we have a very good esports team, and we have a lot of athletes. 

“I see those guys all the time, and they come to our games as well. So, it’s a tight community. They’re like us as far as they take it very seriously.”