The National Basketball Association (NBA) has finalized an 11-year media-rights agreement with Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video. This comes after the NBA rejected Warner Bros. Discovery’s offer of $1.8 billion per year to continue their long-standing partnership with the league.
The Board of Governors of the NBA approved these media-rights deals, which are expected to generate approximately $76 billion over the next 11 years.
Warner Bros. Discovery had the option to match a portion of these deals within a five-day timeframe. They exercised this right but their offer was not deemed a true match by the NBA. As a result, the 2024-2025 season will mark the end of TNT’s involvement with the NBA, bringing an end to their nearly four-decade partnership. However, Warner Bros. Discovery has expressed its belief that the NBA is obligated to accept their offer and has stated that it will take appropriate action.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated that the partnership with Amazon is a perfect fit for the NBA’s global interest, noting that Prime Video’s large subscriber base will greatly expand their ability to connect with fans in new and innovative ways.
Turner Sports strongly disagreed with the NBA’s decision, asserting that the league has misinterpreted their contractual rights. TNT Sports issued a statement mentioning that they have matched Amazon’s offer as per their contractual right and do not believe the NBA can reject it. They expressed disappointment that, in rejecting their offer, the NBA is also neglecting the numerous fans who continue to show unwavering support for TNT’s best-in-class coverage through Warner Bros. Discovery’s distribution platforms.
TNT, however, remains optimistic about the upcoming season, including their iconic program “Inside the NBA.”
Under the new agreement, Amazon Prime Video will air NBA games on Friday nights, select Saturday afternoons, and Thursday night doubleheaders, which will follow Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football schedule. Prime Video will also take over the NBA League Pass package from Warner Bros. Discovery.
The NBA announced on Wednesday that they have entered into a long-term partnership with Amazon, as Warner Bros. Discovery’s latest proposal did not match the terms offered by Prime Video. The NBA’s objective throughout these negotiations has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of their games for fans. The new arrangement with Amazon aims to support this goal by complementing the existing broadcast, cable, and streaming packages offered by Disney and NBCUniversal. Additionally, all three partners have committed significant resources to promote the league and enhance the fan experience.
The new deal with Amazon includes at least one game on Black Friday, as well as coverage of the quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship game of the NBA Cup, an in-season tournament.
Jay Marine, the global head of sports for Prime Video, expressed excitement about adding the NBA to their growing sports lineup, which already includes the NFL, UEFA Champions League, NASCAR, NHL, WNBA, NWSL, Wimbledon, and more. Marine expressed gratitude for partnering with the NBA and looks forward to the start of the collaboration in 2025.
ESPN and ABC will retain the NBA’s top package, which includes the NBA Finals. ABC has been airing the finals since 2003.
During the regular season, ESPN/ABC will televise nearly 100 games. ABC will primarily broadcast games on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons, while ESPN will air approximately 60 games, mostly on Wednesday nights with some on Fridays. On Christmas Day, both networks will broadcast five games exclusively, and ESPN/ABC will also have exclusive national coverage of the final day of the regular season.
In the playoffs, ESPN and ABC will broadcast approximately 18 games in the first two rounds each year, as well as one of the conference finals series, with only one exception throughout the agreement’s duration.
The NBA’s agreement with NBC marks the return of the network as a broadcast partner after previously airing NBA games from 1990 to 2002. This deal grants the NBA two network partners for the first time.
NBC will have the rights to broadcast up to 100 regular-season games, including Sunday night games following the conclusion of the NFL season. Additionally, NBC will air games on Tuesdays throughout the regular season, while a Monday night doubleheader will be exclusively streamed on Peacock.
NBC will also cover the NBA All-Star Game and All-Star Saturday Night. In the playoffs, NBC and/or Peacock will broadcast up to 28 games in the first two rounds, with at least half of them airing on NBC.
On a rotating basis, NBC and Amazon will carry one of the two conference finals series for six out of the eleven years. NBC will have a conference final in 2026-2027, followed by Amazon the next season.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed excitement about the return of NBA basketball to the NBC Sports family and highlighted the benefits and enthusiasm it brings to the fans. NBCUniversal, with its various platforms including NBC and Peacock, promises to build upon the rich tradition and history of the NBA on NBC.
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