NBA Announces Major Media Deal, Expanding Broadcast Options for Fans
- The NBA has officially ended its long-term broadcasting deal with TNT, opening new opportunities for its games to be aired on Amazon and NBC.
- This shift is expected to broaden the NBA's audience reach but could cause accessibility issues for some fans.
- The sports landscape is shifting as leagues adapt to changing viewer habits and partnerships.
In a significant shift for basketball broadcasting, the NBA has announced a new media deal that will reshape how fans access games starting in the 2025-2026 season. The league will continue its partnership with ABC and ESPN, which will share broadcast rights with Amazon Prime Video and NBC, including its streaming service, Peacock. This change marks the end of the NBA's long-standing relationship with TNT, which is now embroiled in a lawsuit with the network's parent company, Warner Bros. Under the new arrangement, fans will need to subscribe to both Peacock and Amazon Prime Video to access the full range of NBA games. The broadcasting schedule will see games aired on various platforms throughout the week, with NBC and Peacock hosting games on Tuesdays, Amazon Prime Video or ESPN on Fridays, and ABC on weekends. This shift aims to enhance the league's reach but may create access challenges for some fans. The financial implications of the new deal are substantial, with the NBA's previous agreements generating $24 billion. The new contract is expected to nearly triple that figure to approximately $76 billion, reflecting the growing value of sports broadcasting rights. This move is seen as a strategic effort to bolster streaming services like Peacock and Amazon Prime, which are keen to expand their sports inventory. As the NBA prepares for this transition, the league's regular season has averaged 1.09 million viewers across its current broadcasting platforms, indicating a strong interest in professional basketball that the new deal aims to capitalize on.