Wednesday, October 21, 2026

NBA Commissioner Expects $10B In Revenue This Season

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports/Design: Alex Brooks

Want more from Front Office Sports
in your search results?

Add Front Office Sports on Google

The NBA season begins Tuesday, and commissioner Adam Silver estimates the league will record $10 billion in revenue following two shortened seasons with limited fan attendance.

Media rights make up roughly $2.6 billion of the league’s annual revenue, and sponsorships brought in a record $1.46 billion last season.

Despite those impressive hauls, the NBA has still taken a hit financially the last two years.

  • Revenue dropped from $8.8 billion in 2018-19 to $8.3 billion during the 2019-20 season. 
  • Numbers for the 2020-21 season have yet to be announced, but Silver said that revenue was down about 35% last season.

The NBA’s next media rights deal will start in 2025 and could be worth more than $75 billion across nine years — more than $8 billion annually.

Tuesday marks the start of the league’s 75th season, and the return of an 82-game format, with the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks set to play the Brooklyn Nets on TNT.

The league had its most-watched opening week since 2012 last year and averaged 2.9 million viewers during its opening night doubleheader. It was the most-watched opening night since 2017.

Download the FOS App

The business of sports, in your pocket.

QR code to download the app

Scan the QR code to get the app now.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Football - NFL - Houston Texans v Jacksonville Jaguars - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - October 18, 2026 The necklace of a Jacksonville Jaguars fan outside the stadium before the match

Die-Hard Sports Fandom Has Reached the Afterlife

Will fans pay $6,000 to memorialize their team loyalty?

Adam Silver on LeBron Helicopter: ‘Perfectly Appropriate’

A source tells FOS the league is not investigating the matter.
Blake Griffin Front Office Sports

Blake Griffin: Clippers Haven’t Honored ‘Lob City’ Team

Griffin said the Clippers releasing Chris Paul was “disappointing.”
Aug 20, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady looks on during the first half between the Dallas Wings and Indiana Fever at American Airlines Center.

Tracy McGrady Backs NBA’s Clippers Punishment: ‘Bad Business’

“Trying to circumvent the salary cap is just a no-no.”
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/21/26 – T-Mac Backs Clippers Penalty, 80-to-1 Rays Haunt Sportsbooks, Jay-Z Picks Jay-Z

0:00

Featured Today

Why Europe Is Pumping Out NBA Superstars

The NBA and NCAA have an increasingly European flavor.
October 15, 2026

College Flag Football Is Outgrowing Its DIY Era

Women have been building the college game themselves at the club level.
Oct 5, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas arrives at the arena before the Penguins host the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena
October 12, 2026

NHL’s New Wave of GMs Is Built Different

“I am in the prediction business,” Devils GM Sunny Mehta tells FOS.
Action Images/Peter Cziborra
October 9, 2026

Is Leicester City’s $264 Million Price Tag Too Rich for Hungry Investors?

After falling from grace, how much is a former top club worth?
Oct 3, 2026; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer waits to run onto the field prior to the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
October 7, 2026

Who Is Alabama Football in Year 3 Under Kalen DeBoer?

The No. 6 Crimson Tide host No. 2 Georgia on Saturday.
during WTGL Media Day at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on September 20, 2026.
Exclusive

WTGL to Lean Into Female Broadcast Talent on ESPN and Ion

ESPN’s Taylor Tannebaum will make her golf broadcasting debut.
CBS Sports NFL B Team covering the Cincinnati Bengals versus New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on September 25, 2022.
October 20, 2026

Evan Washburn Eyes March Madness for His ‘Instant Film Room’

The CBS sideline reporter has put a new spin on postgame interviews.
October 20, 2026

Netflix Releases Q3 Earnings, Preps Big Q4 for Sports

The streaming giant tried to put a hopeful spin on staff cuts.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
Josh Pate Front Office Sports Tuned In
October 20, 2026

Josh Pate: Internet Hate Is ‘Not Real Life’

Pate learned the lesson on campus trips alongside Danny Kanell.
Santa Clara, CA - September 9, 2024 - Levi's Stadium: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on the sidelines prior to a Monday Night Football.
October 19, 2026

Buck, Aikman Avoid the Elephant in the ‘MNF’ Booth

Aikman and Buck focused purely on football during ‘MNF.’
October 19, 2026

NBC Sports Faces Pivotal Week

The network and its parent company are at a key inflection point.
Sponsored

Why Brands Are Betting On Major League Soccer

Discover why brands are investing in MLS as the league builds on World Cup momentum to drive fan engagement and sponsorship growth.