The NBA has significantly broadened its media horizons with a groundbreaking new national television deal, inviting fresh partnerships and expanding its reach. Valued at a staggering $76 billion over 11 years, the agreement, which will commence in the 2025-26 season, marks a massive leap from the current nine-year, $24 billion contract due to expire at the end of the 2024-25 season.
"Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans," the NBA stated, highlighting the league's dedication to broadening its viewership and enhancing fan engagement.
New Partnerships and Increased Coverage
The new deal rosters Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon as key partners, each playing a pivotal role in broadcasting and streaming content. "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," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver remarked.
In maintaining continuity, ABC and ESPN, stalwarts of the NBA Finals coverage, will continue to air the climactic series. They will also handle one of the two conference finals series in 10 out of the 11 years, Christmas Day games, marquee Saturday and Sunday regular-season matchups, and approximately 18 games in the first two rounds of the postseason each year. This consistency ensures that fans will still access some of the most anticipated matches through familiar channels.
New Broadcast Dimensions
NBCUniversal will cover the remaining conference finals series for six years, alongside bringing the All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Saturday night, opening night, and Sunday night primetime games to viewers' screens. Their involvement underscores a commitment to delivering crucial and popular events during the NBA season. Additionally, NBCUniversal, along with its streaming service, will be responsible for broadcasting around 28 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs each season.
Amazon, stepping into the sports broadcasting arena through Prime Video, will stream one of the conference finals series in six out of the 11 years and will carry the NBA Cup and Play-In Tournament games. Moreover, Prime Video will stream approximately one-third of the first and second postseason rounds each year, reflecting the growing trend towards digital streaming platforms in sports viewership.
Economic Impact and League Outlook
The financial implications of this deal are staggering. The new agreement amplifies the NBA’s annual national media income by an estimated 2.6 times, a surge poised to elevate franchise values and player salaries. The league expects the salary cap to rise by the maximum of 10% each year starting in the 2025 offseason, further driving the financial prosperity of the league and its athletes.
In 2023, the combined earnings of the 30 NBA teams tallied approximately $10.6 billion, with national television revenue being the largest contributor to this sum. This new lucrative deal is anticipated to significantly bolster these figures, ensuring sustained financial growth for the league.
A Fond Farewell to Turner Sports
Nonetheless, the new deal also marks the end of a significant era with Warner Bros. Discovery's Turner Sports, which began broadcasting NBA games in 1989. The upcoming season is expected to be the last for the iconic program "Inside the NBA" in its current form. "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," the NBA expressed, acknowledging decades of partnership and exceptional coverage.
As the NBA embarks on this new chapter with its expanded media strategy, the league remains committed to enriching the fan experience and making its games more accessible than ever before. The interplay of traditional broadcasting stalwarts and innovative digital streaming platforms promises to cater to a diverse, global audience.