Threads Rolls Out Live Chats Feature for NBA Playoffs

Threads has launched its new Live Chats feature on April 22, starting with coverage of the NBA Playoffs. The tool allows selected creators and community members to host real-time discussions tied to live events, giving users a dedicated space to follow and engage with ongoing conversations.

The feature functions similarly to Instagram’s Broadcast Channels. Any user can join a Live Chat to view the discussion, react to messages, and participate in polls. However, only a limited group of approved contributors can post messages, photos, videos, or links. Creators have control over participation: they can limit chats to 150 contributors in open discussions or make them invite-only, where viewers can watch but not post unless invited.

Threads will notify users about active Live Chats related to events they have shown interest in, and the chat appears in their inbox with a “Live” indicator. The platform is also adding live scores for sports matches, with plans to expand to real-time update widgets for other types of events.

The restricted contribution model is designed to reduce spam and improve discussion quality. Threads aims to avoid the issues that plagued Twitter’s (now X) hashtag-based live chats, which often became cluttered with low-quality or spam comments during major events.

Initially, the ability to start Live Chats is limited to a select group of creators, including Community Champions who actively engage within Threads communities. Hosts can launch a chat through the three-dot menu in their Community.

The launch focuses on the NBA Playoffs, with community champions and media personalities hosting chats during live games. This represents Threads’ latest effort to strengthen real-time engagement, particularly around sports – an area where X continues to dominate. Sports remains one of the most discussed topics on X, and many users still turn to the platform for live event commentary.