• Loading stock data...
Sunday, June 1, 2025

NBA Playoffs Providing Showcase For League’s Next Media Rights Deal

  • Incumbent partners ESPN, TNT will have competition from other bidders.
  • NBC, Amazon have shown interest in becoming NBA media partners.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA playoffs have reached the Eastern and Western Conference finals at a tipping point for the league’s upcoming negotiations for future media rights deals.

Although ESPN, which will air Game 4 of the Lakers-Nuggets series Monday night, and TNT, which hosts the Celtics-Heat Game 4 on Tuesday night, have become synonymous with the NBA, they’ll have fierce competition to retain their media rights when negotiations can begin  in 2024.

David Zaslav, CEO of TNT parent Warner Bros. Discovery, recently said at a conference that he was hopeful to get a deal done with the NBA, but admitted it would “probably look a little bit different” than its current pact — which includes national primetime games throughout the regular season and rights to playoff series in every round except the NBA Finals.

Former NBA media partner NBC and streamer Amazon both appear to be interested in acquiring broadcasting packages, giving the league an opportunity to expand its reach to more platforms like the NFL, which spreads its U.S. rights across six companies.

One company not joining the bidding war is Fox: CEO Lachlan Murdoch said the network is “highly unlikely” to show interest.

Any new NBA media deals wouldn’t start until the fall of 2025, but it’s looking more and more like the status quo for basketball viewing is going to change sooner rather than later.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

breaking

Pacers-Thunder Is Lowest-Payroll NBA Finals in Years

Neither team is in the luxury tax, despite rosters with multiple All-Stars.

MSG Tickets for Potential Pacers-Knicks Game 7 Start at $1,100

The current get-in price for a potential Game 7 is $1,099.
Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson Accused of Rape and Abuse in Lawsuit

The woman says their relationship began when he was at Duke in 2018.

Featured Today

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.
May 30, 2025

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.
May 25, 2025

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 24, 2025

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.
May 30, 2025

Panthers-Oilers Rematch Could Be Big in Canada. Will U.S. Ratings Dip?

Likely viewership declines in the U.S. are countered by robust Canadian audiences.
May 30, 2025

French Open Scheduling Sparks Backlash Over Women’s Time Slots

Coco Gauff has also said the French Open schedule could be improved.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
May 28, 2025

NBA East Finals Delivers Strong TV Ratings, but West Is Struggling

The Pacers and Thunder are both up 3–1 in their conference finals series.
Around the Horn
May 23, 2025

Behind the Scenes of Around the Horn’s Final Days

FOS followed Tony Reali at the penultimate taping of the ESPN icon.
Around the Horn - October 26, 2020
May 23, 2025

‘Quirky, Nutty, Bombastic’: 10 ‘Around the Horn’ Faces on Their Top Moments

“A quirky, nutty, bombastic, mostly wrong, sometimes right, crazy sports family.”
May 22, 2025

NBC Eyes MLB Rights, Looks to Own Sunday Nights Year-Round

The league continues to shop media rights being forfeited by ESPN.