Saturday, October 24, 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

Mat Ishbia

Suns Owner Mat Ishbia: Steve Ballmer Is a ‘Great Owner’

“That was a misstep by Steve,” Ishbia told FOS about the situation.

NBC: NBA Opening Night Tip-Off Most-Watched Ever

The Sixers-Knicks game drew 7.7 million viewers.

LSU Won’t Roster Ex-NBA Player As SEC Legal Battle Continues

Louisiana AG Liz Murrill called again for the SEC’s lawsuit to be dismissed.
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?
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

10/23/26 – JJ Watt Takes CBS Chair, FIFA Rights Shake-Up, Small-Market World Series

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.

Troy Aikman Says He’d Consider Role With Cowboys

Aikman welcomes conversations with Jerry Jones as his ESPN contract nears expiration.
Aug 30, 2018; New York, NY, USA; Television personality Britt McHenry in the stands during a second round match between Novak Djokovic of Serbia and Tennys Sandgren of the United States on day four of the 2018 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
October 23, 2026

Britt McHenry Out at Trump Admin After Viral Drink-Throwing Incident

McHenry joined the State Department as a press advisor last month.
October 24, 2026

Luke Kuechly Calls Netflix NFL Role a Work ‘In Progress’

Kuechly is also calling some regional NFL action for CBS.
Sponsored

Blake Griffin’s Plan for Media Domination

The former NBA star is building a second act across media & entertainment.
Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; ESPN Monday Night Football logo on an end zone camera before the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Houston Texans in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
October 23, 2026

Ranking Troy Aikman’s Likeliest ESPN Replacements

ESPN has yet to formally offer Aikman a new contract.
Zach Lowe Sean Fennessey The Ringer
October 22, 2026

Substack: No Deal With The Ringer, Even as Talent Flocks to Platform

Zach Lowe is the latest Ringer talent to launch a Substack newsletter.
Troy Aikman
October 22, 2026

Examining Troy Aikman’s Options After J.J. Watt-CBS Deal 

Aikman has yet to receive a formal offer to return to ESPN.
NBC Sports Logo
October 22, 2026

Comcast-NBCUniversal Split Comes With $1B Cost, Layoffs

The NBC Sports parent company will take on a hefty restructuring charge.