Real Deal: WNBA Signs AWS As Changemaker, Adding To ‘AI Cloud Partner’
Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 03:59PM By Barry Janoff
May 7, 2026: This past October, the NBA and Amazon Web Services signed a multi-year alliance o become the official cloud and cloud AI partner of the NBA and its affiliate leagues, including the WNBA, NBA G League, Basketball Africa League, and NBA Take-Two Media. It included launching NBA Inside the Game powered by AWS.
On the eve of its 30th anniversary season, the WNBA has signed a multi-year partnership naming Amazon Web Services a member of the Changemakers Collective, enhancing its positiion as the league’s “official cloud and cloud AI Partner.”
This alliance is AWS’s first with a women’s pro sports group.
Financial terms of the pact were not shared.
AWS joins Changemakers Ally, AT&T, CarMax, Deloitte, Google and Nike as part of what the WNBA called “a shared commitment to innovation and long-term growth.”
A focus of the partnership is the launch of WNBA Inside the Game powered by AWS.
AWS will also serve as Presenting Partner of WNBA Live, the league’s fan festival held during AT&T WNBA All-Star 2026 in Chicago, scheduled for July 24-25 in McCormick Place.
AWS said the union with the WNBA “builds on its work across sports to help organizations drive innovation, accelerate growth and engage fans globally.”
“As the WNBA enters its 30th season, we're proud to join as both an innovation partner and a Changemaker, committed to using AWS's cloud and AI capabilities to elevate the fan experience and support the continued growth of women's basketball,” Kristin Shaff, AWS global director of strategic partnerships, said via the company.
Regarding the launch of WNBA Inside the Game powered by AWS, AWS said “Leveraging AWS’s cloud and artificial intelligence capabilities, the platform will turn real-time player tracking data into easy-to-understand insights — bringing fans closer to every play, possession, and performance.”
“Through WNBA Inside the Game, we're bringing AI-powered analytics to the women's game, giving fans new ways to appreciate the skill and strategy WNBA players bring to the court every game,” said Shaff, “This is just the first chapter of what we're building together, and we couldn't be more excited to get started.”
Available across the WNBA App, WNBA.com and during live games, Inside the Game is designed to deliver advanced analytics to fans worldwide.
According to the league and AWS, “New AI-powered metrics will spotlight aspects of the game that haven’t been captured before in the women’s game, including how players impact defenses with and without the ball and the true difficulty of every shot attempt. Throughout the season, AWS and the league will introduce WNBA Gravity, followed by WNBA Shot Difficulty.”
At the All-Star Game, WNBA Live unites basketball, entertainment and culture through player appearances, performances and interactive experiences that reflect the league’s influence across sport, fashion and music.
“We view this partnership as integral to the next phase of growth for the WNBA,” WNBA chief growth officer Colie Edison said via the league.
“From unlocking deeper insights to creating more immersive fan experiences and driving innovation, we are excited to welcome AWS as a partner and Changemaker and look forward to building the future of women’s basketball together.”
The schedule for the WNBA’s 30th anniversary season, which begins May 8, represents the start of the league’s new media rights deals, which features the renewal of partnerships with The Walt Disney Company (ABC/ESPN), Amazon Prime Video, CBS Sports/Paramount+, and Scripps (ION); new partners NBCUniversal (NBC/Peacock/NBCSN), USA Sports (USA Network) and Bell Media (Canada); and the continuation of distribution of games on NBA TV.
The AWS NBA Draft Combine is being held from May 10-17 in Chicago.
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