The National Basketball Association (NBA) is on the verge of finalizing groundbreaking broadcast deals that will significantly reshape its media landscape. Here are the key details:
Broadcast Partners:
- ESPN: ESPN has retained exclusive rights to the NBA Finals and will pay a staggering $2.8 billion per season for the NBA’s “A” package. This includes one conference finals series per year, primetime games each week, a portion of WNBA rights, and international rights.
- NBC: NBC will take over the “B” package, securing two primetime windows per week during the regular season. Additionally, after the NFL season ends, NBC plans to offer a “Basketball Night in America” event each Sunday night. They will also have a conference semifinals series and a conference finals series every other season. NBC’s investment in this package amounts to $2.6 billion per season.
- Prime Video: Prime Video, Amazon’s streaming service, has snagged the newly-created “C” package. This package includes regular season games, the In-Season Tournament, play-in games (which decide the final playoff teams each season), international rights, and some WNBA games. Prime Video’s commitment is for at least $1.8 billion per season.
- Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD): The major upset in these deals is that NBC has managed to secure the package of games formerly held by WBD’s TNT Sports. WBD is left with many questions as it faces the loss of NBA broadcasting rights.
Total Value: The NBA’s three new broadcasting agreements combined push the league past the $7 billion-per-season mark. This represents a significant increase in revenue compared to previous deals.
Inside the NBA: While the NBA’s departure from TNT is imminent, there’s still speculation about the future of the popular studio show “Inside the NBA.” The program has been a staple of national NBA coverage for over two decades, and its standing remains uncertain.
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