• Loading stock data...
Thursday, February 26, 2026

NBA’s European Presence Grows With BBC Deal

  • The NBA signed a nine-game broadcast deal with the BBC.
  • The league could triple its U.S. media rights value in its next set of deals.
NBA
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

With the arrival of a French superstar on the horizon, the NBA is growing its media presence in Europe. 

The league inked a U.K. broadcast deal with the BBC covering nine games this season, beginning with Thursday’s tilt in Paris between the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons — the first regular-season game in France since 2020.

  • The BBC will show an additional three regular-season games, two pre-conference final playoff games, one conference title game, and one NBA Finals game.
  • Sky bought the rights to 135 live NBA games prior to the season and simultaneously broadcast the Paris game.
  • U.K. fans can also access the league’s streaming service, NBA League Pass.

The NBA anticipates substantial growth in its French fanbase with the coming of Victor Wembanyama, the presumptive first overall pick in June’s NBA Draft.

The league said that tickets to the Paris game sold out within minutes of going on sale.

NBA’s French Connection: Paris Game and Wembanyama Mania

Bulls-Pistons game is part of huge moment for basketball in France.
January 19, 2023

Mega Media Deal Coming

Meanwhile, the league continues negotiations around its next set of media deals. 

The NBA, which currently has nine-year deals with ESPN and TNT totalling $24 billion, could look to triple that sum when those pacts expire after the 2024-25 season.

Amazon is thought to be interested in acquiring NBA rights as it grows its live sports portfolio.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Featured Today

[Subscription Customers Only] Jul 13, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Chelsea FC midfielder Cole Palmer (10) celebrates winning the final of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium

Soccer’s ‘Crown Jewels’ Are Devouring Smaller Clubs

Mega conglomerates are feeding a big business machine. Fans are furious.
Feb 10, 2026; Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy; Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin of the United States during the curling mixed doubles gold medal game during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium
February 20, 2026

Curling Clubs Are Swept Up in Olympics Fever. Can It Last?

Every four years, organizations field an influx of curling-curious patrons.
Max Valverde by Ron Winsett
February 17, 2026

How Ski Mountaineering’s Hype Man Went From TikTok to NBC

Max Valverde’s gushing over the niche sport vaulted him to Olympic broadcaster.
Feb 11, 2026; Livigno, Italy; Jaelin Kauf of the United States during freestyle skiing women's moguls final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park
February 13, 2026

The Surprise Hit of the Winter Olympics: First-Person Drone Views

Tiny drone cameras have reshaped the Olympics viewing experience.

Paramount Says WBD Deal Would Help CBS Turnaround

The CBS Sports parent company lauds its NFL and UFC programming.
February 24, 2026

U.S. Gold-Medal Game Draws 20.7M Viewers for NBC, a Morning Record

The gold-medal hockey game draws an NFL-like audience.
Nov 21, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Mercedes driver George Russell (63) during the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
February 25, 2026

F1 CEO Defends Apple Leap: ‘Bigger’ Reach With ‘Other People’

F1 believes it’s making up for what it’s losing in reach elsewhere.
Sponsored

From USWNT Star to NWSL Franchise Founder

Leslie Osborne, former USWNT midfielder, shares how athletes are moving from the pitch to the ownership table.
Jan 4, 2018; Los Angeles, CA, USA; TNT sportscaster Marv Albert looks on before a game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the LA Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
February 24, 2026

Family Business: Marv Albert Marvels at Son Kenny’s Gold Medal TV Performance

“He was tremendous,” Marv Albert says of his son’s career-defining performance.
February 24, 2026

Kenny Albert Flooded With 483 Texts After His Golden Hockey Call

Messages from the likes of Gretzky, Torre, and Palin poured in nonstop.
The Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California, U.S. November 18, 2025.
February 24, 2026

Warner Bros. Weighs Revised Paramount Offer

The TNT Sports parent company is reviewing the latest acquisition offer.
The Savannah Bananas played the Texas Tailgaters at Great American Ballpark on Friday June 13, 2025. The game included music, dancing, non-baseball games, backflips and featured Reds players like Todd Frazier, Bronson Arroyo and Sean Casey. The Bananas will play the Texas Tailgaters again on Saturday to a packed Great American Ballpark.
February 24, 2026

Why Savannah Bananas Are Expanding Their ESPN Deal

The new deal will see ESPN platforms air 25 Bananas games in 2026.