NBA Secures New Media Rights Deal with Major Networks
- The NBA has secured an 11-year media rights deal with major companies Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video.
- This partnership comes after the league decided not to extend its contract with Warner Bros.
- The new arrangement is expected to enhance the NBA's broadcasting capabilities and viewer reach.
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 will air approximately 18 playoff games in the first two rounds annually. The return of NBC to NBA broadcasting, after a hiatus from 2002, introduces a second broadcast network partner for the league, with NBC set to air up to 100 regular-season games and a conference final in the 2026-27 season. This new media rights deal aims to maximize fan engagement and accessibility, with Prime Video's global reach expected to innovate the viewing experience for basketball enthusiasts.