The NBA has made a significant move that will shape the landscape of professional basketball broadcasting for the next decade. With the announcement of a new national television deal valued at an eye-popping $76 billion, the league has partnered with a media company, a broadcasting company, and a streaming service to bring the games to fans like never before.
Spanning 11 years, the agreement will kick off in the 2025-26 season and run through the 2035-36 season. This new deal replaces the existing nine-year, $24 billion contract scheduled to expire at the end of the 2024-25 season. The substantial increase in revenue from this deal underscores its significance, with the NBA's national media income estimated to multiply by 2.6 times under the new terms.
Expanded Coverage and New Partnerships
A focal point of the new arrangement is the continuation and expansion of partnerships with ABC and ESPN. These networks will continue to air the NBA Finals, broadcast one of the two conference finals series in 10 out of the 11 years, and televise Christmas Day games. Additionally, they will cover marquee Saturday and Sunday regular-season matchups and approximately 18 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs each year.
NBCUniversal will also play a significant role in the new deal, covering one of the conference finals series in six of the 11 years. They are set to provide comprehensive coverage of the All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Saturday night, opening night, and Sunday night primetime games. Combined with the efforts of NBCUniversal's streaming service, fans can expect around 28 games in the early playoff rounds to be broadcasted each season.
Prime Video Enters the Scene
One of the most notable additions to the NBA broadcast landscape is Prime Video, which will stream one of the conference finals series in six of the 11 years. Furthermore, Prime Video will carry NBA Cup games and Play-In Tournament games, and stream about one-third of the first and second postseason rounds each year. The involvement of Prime Video highlights the increasing importance of streaming services in the distribution of live sports content.
A New Era Without Warner Bros. Discovery
Warner Bros. Discovery, a long-time partner, will not be part of the new agreement. Turner Sports, which began broadcasting NBA games in 1989, is expected to have its final season of "Inside the NBA" in its current form. The NBA expressed its gratitude for Turner's contributions, stating, "We are grateful to Turner Sports for its award-winning coverage of the NBA and look forward to another season of the NBA on TNT."
Financial Implications
The financial implications of this deal are immense. The league's salary cap, which cannot increase by more than 10% per year, is expected to rise by the maximum each year starting in the 2025 offseason. The combined earnings of the 30 NBA teams were approximately $10.6 billion in 2023, with national television revenue being the largest contributor to these earnings. Franchise values and player salaries are accordingly expected to see significant increases.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver emphasized the benefits for fans, stating, "Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world. These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade."
As the NBA embarks on this new chapter, the focus remains on enhancing the accessibility and reach of its games. "Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans," the NBA stated.
With an expanded array of broadcasting partners and a substantial increase in revenue, the NBA is poised for continued growth and greater engagement with its global fanbase in the years to come.