NBA Reportedly Wants to Split Up Rights as Much as Possible to Include Streaming, Local Outlets
When the league’s exclusive negotiating period with the channels expires tonight, it will be able to speak with Amazon, NBC, and other potential partners.
The 2023-24 NBA playoffs kicked off over the weekend, but league executives might have been a bit too distracted by other concerns to have much of an eye on their television screens. The league’s exclusive negotiating period with its current national partners ESPN and TNT expires at 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, April 22, and there is a long line of other potential TV and streaming accomplices waiting to make their pitches to NBA officials. A report from The Athletic offers some new details about the negotiations, including the league’s desire to offer games through as many methods as possible to fans, following the example set by the ratings and revenue juggernaut of the NFL.
- The NBA wants to find a way to offer local games directly to consumers as cable dwindles.
- Amazon wants a high-level package of regular and postseason games, potentially including the NBA Finals.
- NBC wants rights to some NBA games badly, but will it be able to outbid competitors with deeper pockets?
The NBA’s desire to create a third package of nationally broadcast games has been known for a long time, and The Athletic confirms that at least three subsets of games will be sold to broadcasters. However, a fourth bundle could also be part of its deal, perhaps centered around the league’s new In-Season Tournament. The Athletic reports that the NBA is aiming to lock in its next contract for at least a decade, meaning that by the time the contract period ends, streaming will almost certainly be an even more dominant part of Americans’ viewing habits.
Prime Video is an ideal partner for the NBA, and remains heavily interested in acquiring a package. The Athletic specifies that Prime Video wants a package of high-level games in the regular season and playoffs, potentially including a future NBA Finals series. The Athletic reports that sources with knowledge of the discussions report that Prime Video is the favorite to be the league’s third partner at this point.
Whether the league ends up going with Amazon or not, streaming is going to be an important part of any deal the NBA makes in this round of negotiations. League officials have observed the decline of cable, and are determined to give viewers as many ways as possible to access its games. The league is discussing options to offer locally broadcast games that currently appear on regional sports networks directly to consumers, potentially giving cord-cutting fans of some teams a way to access these games for the first time. For instance, the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets play most of their games on Altitude, but the league wants to make these games available through a season pass or on a per-game basis as well.
NBC is reportedly still in hot pursuit of NBA rights, as well. The Athletic report specifies that NBC “wants back in” on the league, and points out that current NBCUniversal chairman Mark Lazarus was with TNT when that channel secured NBA rights. Putting games on NBC and allowing them to stream simultaneously on Peacock would help the league further its goal of expanding its reach to both linear and digital platforms.
When Can Fans Expect to See the NBA’s New Broadcasting Deal?
It could take a few more months to finalize deals between the NBA and the various partners who will eventually be a part of its next broadcast deal. Fans can be sure that the deal will be finished before the end of the 2024-25 NBA season when the NBA’s current agreement with ESPN and TNT expires.
The Streamable has predicted that Prime Video, ESPN, and TNT will split the main package of NBA games in its next deal. Prime Video also offers some intriguing local broadcasting options, as its investment in Bally Sports RSNs could allow it to offer content from those networks through its Prime Video Channels hub.
Negotiations for WNBA rights are being conducted concurrently with NBA talks, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver insists the two leagues are best served by sticking together. Together, the NBA and WNBA account for more than 230 days of live games each year, and the NBA is touting that year-round product offering to providers as a way to increase its leverage.
It almost certainly won’t take until the end of next season for the NBA to finalize its next broadcast deal, but how long it takes ultimately depends on the companies who want to acquire its rights. As viewers leave traditional cable behind, the league wants to ensure that its new deal reflects an audience seeking the best and cheapest ways to watch its games.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 10,000+ movies, TV shows, and Prime Originals like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,” “Jack Ryan,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Boys,” and more. Subscribers can also add third-party services like Max, Showtime, STARZ, and dozens more with Amazon Prime Video Channels. Prime Video also offers exclusive live access to NFL Thursday Night Football.