The top-level domain (TLD) “.nba” actually doesn’t exist. Top-level domains refer to the last segment of a domain name, or the part that follows immediately after the “dot” symbol. These include well-recognized domains such as “.com”, “.org”, “.net”, etc. They are categorized into three types: gTLDs (generic top-level domains), ccTLDs (country-code top-level domains), and sTLDs (sponsored top-level domains). “Nba”, as you’re likely aware, is an abbreviation for the National Basketball Association.
The management and assignment of internet domain names are governed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) (source: ICANN website). They oversee the TLD system and occasionally introduce new TLDs as required. While possibilities for new top-level domains have expanded to include a variety of words in multiple languages (such as “.guru”, “.photography” and others), “.nba” is not among them.
In 2012, ICANN started a new program to expand the available generic TLDs (source: ICANN’s Program). That’s why we began to see different and varied TLDs, such as “.google”, “.apple”, “.amazon”, etc. These are brand TLDs, used exclusively by the company. Yet, while some sports organizations have embraced this change” such as Major League Baseball, which uses “.mlb”, the National Basketball Association has not registered for “.nba”.
To check if a TLD exists, you can use the root zone database provided by IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority), the department of ICANN responsible for coordinating some of the key elements that keep the Internet running smoothly (source: IANA website). According to the IANA’s Root Zone Database (https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db), a “.nba” TLD does not exist.
In your specific interest in the NBA, note that the NBA’s official website uses the “.com” TLD. This is common in businesses, companies and corporate entities, as “.com” is short for commercial. Companies tend to stick to “.com” because it’s the most recognized TLD, and consumers tend to associate it with a trusted commercial presence.
In summary, while it’s technically possible for the NBA to apply for a “.nba” top-level domain under ICANN’s rules for branded TLDs, they have not done that, and all official NBA-affiliated sites operate under different domain names.
