Bluesky Debuts Live Indicator Badge for NBA Playoffs to Rival X

As the NBA playoffs heat up, Bluesky is piloting a “live” indicator that turns its platform into a pseudo–Sports X (formerly Twitter). The Live feature will bring in‑progress games and streams via a red “live” border around relevant posts for sports fans.

Currently in beta with the NBA’s and WNBA’s official accounts, clicking the badge sends users directly to the external stream. It places Bluesky firmly in the discovery lane rather than hosting any content itself, like YouTube and Twitch do.

Live Indicator Design and UX

By integrating a live badge at the UI level, Bluesky maintains its text‑centric ethos while offering event discovery.

Bluesky COO Rose Wang emphasizes community‑driven discovery over exclusive rights, aiming to foster a “Sports Bluesky” subculture. Early testers include select sports broadcasters and influencers, and feedback will shape broader rollouts through mid‑2025.

Competitive Context

Unlike X/Twitter or dedicated sports apps that secure streaming rights, Bluesky is positioning itself as an aggregator in a lower‑investment model.

This contrasts with competitors who vie for direct streaming deals, potentially speeding feature deployment and minimizing licensing costs.

User Response and Metrics to Bluesky

Initial community reactions have been positive, noting the ease of finding in real time games without leaving the app. Engagement on test accounts climbed 20 percent during opening playoff games, and click‑through rates on the live badge averaged 12 percent, metrics Bluesky cites as validation for extending the feature to other sports leagues.

Bluesky plans to refine badge visibility thresholds, support WNBA, MLB, and NFL events, and explore deeper API integrations that could surface real‑time stats alongside streams.

The company expects a full public launch by Q3 2025.