The NBA may not be pleased with the NFL making Christmas Day a regular part of its schedule. However, their new set of media rights agreements almost puts them in the same economic arena.
O 11-year, $76 billion NBA contracts will begin with the 2025-26 season. That’s the same number of years as the NFL’s most recent deal, which began with the 2023 season.
Agreements with ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon Prime Video will average $6.9 billion per season. The NFL makes an average of $10 billion a year, but that’s with five networks. Depending on how things go with TNT Sports, the NBA could surpass the $7 billion threshold.
The NFL remains the main attraction because of its ratings and publicity capabilities. The NBA is in second place and can rake in a lot of money due to its younger viewers as well as having a ton of content.
WHY IS THIS A LONG TERM BUSINESS?
Leagues want economic security so they can consider long-term contracts. For the networks and media companies that hold the rights, live sports continue to be prime terrain for advertisers.
HOW WILL THIS BENEFIT THE FAN?
You may need to check the channel guide frequently, but during the last three months of the regular season, there will be a national NBA broadcast every night on ABC, ESPN, NBC, Peacock or Prime Video.
WHO HAS THE TOP PACKAGE?
ESPN and ABC will continue to host major league matchups as well as the NBA Finals.
Although the NBA has two broadcast partners for the first time, the Walt Disney Company was adamant about not sharing the finals. It will cost Disney $2.6 billion a year, just under the $2.7 per season it pays the NFL for “Monday Night Football,” two playoff games and the Super Bowl in 2027 and 2031.
Under the current nine-year deal, which expires next season, ESPN/ABC pays $1.4 billion a year.
WELCOME BACK, NBC
The network that won all six of Michael Jordan’s titles with the Chicago Bulls and Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant’s first three championships with the Los Angeles Lakers returns after hosting games from 1990 to 2002.
NBC will air a package of games on Sunday nights once the NFL regular season ends, as well as NBA All-Star Weekend. It will air games regularly on Tuesday nights and will have a package of Monday games streaming on Peacock.
NBC’s deal averages $2.5 billion per season, which is more than the $2 billion it gives the NFL for “Sunday Night Football.” Considering, though, that “Sunday Night Football” has been the top primetime show for 13 consecutive years, it’s money well spent.
DOES THIS MEAN ‘ROUNDBALL ROCK’ IS COMING BACK?
Yes. You don’t have to wait until the fall of 2025 to hear it, because NBC licenses it for its basketball coverage during the Olympics.
IS THE NBA ALSO ENTERING THE WORLD OF STREAMING?
Yes, with Prime Video. It will hold games on the Thursday night after the NFL regular season ends, along with games on Friday and Saturday.
Prime Video will also be the main network for the season’s tournament. It will pay an average of $1.8 billion per season (its NFL deal costs an average of $1.1 billion per year).
BECAUSE ABC HAS THE NBA FINALS, WHO GETS THE REST OF THE PLAYOFFS?
All networks will have games in the first two rounds. When it comes to the conference finals, ESPN/ABC has one of them each season, while NBC and Amazon Prime Video alternate who carries the other.
WHEN WILL THIS BE FINAL?
At least for a few weeks. The NBA will have a board of governors meeting in Las Vegas next week and could approve it there. Once the league sends the finalized contracts to TNT Sports, it will have five days to finalize one of the deals.
DOES TNT SPORTS HAVE ANY CHANCES?
Very thin. And if the NBA really wanted to keep one of its legacy partners in the game, it could have gotten a limited fourth game pack by now.
With TNT’s recent acquisitions of the French Open, College Football Playoff first-round games, the Big East and the Mountain West, it appears that owner Warner Bros. Discovery is preparing for life without the NBA in the fall of 2025. Turner Sports has had the NBA since 1984.
TNT Sports is paying $1.4 billion per season. Considering the values of the three proposed packages, this would make Prime Video’s rights the one it would likely try to match.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE NBA?
Labor peace is made, with a new Collective Labor Agreement. Media rights are about to be done. That puts expanding at least two teams to 32 on deck. Expansion fees will also bring a good financial profit to teams.
For players, this means the league’s salary cap will increase by 10% annually. Prepare yourself for the possibility that top players will earn something approaching $100 million per season by the mid-2030s.
IS THE WNBA A PARTY TO THIS RIGHTS AGREEMENT?
Yes. All three partners will host games. ESPN/ABC and Prime Video already have games, while NBC will return to broadcasting the WNBA after completing the first six seasons (1997 to 2002). It is possible that the WNBA will still be able to add more partners, as it has done in recent seasons.
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AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.
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This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story
