For now, the NBA is limiting use of the tool to its own video, Grimes added. That means users won't be allowed to sprinkle in their own videos. "We're trying to balance the desire to give our fans as much opportunity to engage with the league as we can, while at the same time recognizing we have a brand -- and a brand that we have to protect," Grimes said.

The NBA is the latest organization to put in new tools to allow users to build their own applications by aggregating Web content. Earlier this month, Yahoo Inc. had to take down a Web site for building mashups called Pipes on the same day it was launched because demand exceeded capacity.