The NBA has announced a landmark national television deal valued at $76 billion, set to commence with the 2025-26 season and span over 11 years, concluding at the end of the 2035-36 season. This monumental agreement introduces several new partners into the mix, including a prominent media company, a broadcasting company, and a streaming service.
New Partnerships and Familiar Faces
This new deal significantly boosts the NBA’s revenue stream, nearly tripling the annual media income previously generated by the current nine-year, $24 billion deal, which is set to expire after the 2024-25 season. Despite the influx of new partners, long-time broadcasters ABC and ESPN will continue their coverage of the NBA Finals games, ensuring a blend of continuity and innovation in the league's media strategy.
ABC/ESPN will also hold the broadcasting rights to one of the conference finals series for ten of the eleven years outlined in the deal. They will televise Christmas Day games, marquee Saturday and Sunday regular-season matchups, and approximately 18 games during the first two rounds of the postseason each year. "Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans," stated the NBA.
Expanded Coverage and Streaming Integration
Joining ABC and ESPN, another broadcasting company will have the rights to the other conference finals series in six of the next eleven years. This broadcaster will also cover the spectacle of the NBA All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Saturday night, opening night, and Sunday night primetime games, and will air around 28 games from the first two playoff rounds each season, either through its network or streaming service.
Prime Video, a newcomer in this deal, adds a contemporary twist to the NBA’s viewing options. Prime Video will stream one of the conference finals series in six out of the eleven years, carry NBA Cup games, Play-In Tournament games, and about one-third of the first and second postseason rounds each year. Reflecting on the new partnerships, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver remarked, "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."
Implications for the Future
This new deal, by boosting national television revenue, is expected to substantially increase the overall earnings of the NBA, which stood at approximately $10.6 billion in 2023. The lucrative agreement will also drive up franchise values and player salaries. With the salary cap expected to rise by the maximum permissible 10% each year from the 2025 offseason, teams and players alike are poised to benefit financially.
The departure of Warner Bros. Discovery from the deal, ending its long-standing association through Turner Sports, marks the end of an era. Turner Sports has broadcast NBA games since 1989, and the upcoming season is anticipated to be the last for the show "Inside the NBA" in its current form. The NBA expressed gratitude for Turner Sports, saying, "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."
This new agreement not only reshapes the landscape of NBA broadcasting but also reaffirms the league’s commitment to enhancing the fan experience through a diversified media approach. By engaging established networks and innovative streaming services, the NBA ensures that its games remain accessible to a broad, global audience over the next decade and beyond.