NBA Secures New Media Rights Deal with Major Networks

The NBA has finalized an 11-year media rights agreement with Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video, marking a significant shift in its broadcasting landscape. This decision comes after the league declined Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) offer of $1.8 billion per year to extend their longstanding partnership. WBD attempted to match parts of the new deals but was deemed unsuccessful by the NBA, leading to the conclusion of TNT's nearly 40-year association with the league at the end of the 2024-25 season. In a statement, TNT Sports asserted that it had matched Amazon's offer and questioned the NBA's ability to reject it. However, the NBA's new arrangement with Amazon Prime Video will see the platform broadcasting games on Friday nights, select Saturday afternoons, and Thursday night doubleheaders, following the conclusion of its “Thursday Night Football” schedule. Additionally, Amazon will take over the NBA League Pass package from WBD, enhancing its sports offerings. ESPN and ABC will retain the league's premier package, which includes the NBA Finals and a significant number of playoff games. The agreement ensures that ESPN and ABC will air approximately 18 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs each year, along with one of the conference finals series annually. The return of NBC to NBA broadcasting, after a hiatus from 2002, introduces a dual broadcast network partnership for the league. NBC will air up to 100 regular-season games and host playoff coverage, including a conference final in the 2026-27 season, followed by Amazon in the subsequent year.