NBA Finalizing $7B+ Per Season Media Rights Contracts With ESPN, NBC, Amazon This Week The NBA is formalizing media rights contracts with ESPN, NBC and Amazon this week with sources telling the Sports Business Journal that it is the final stage of negotiations. Deals with the three providers are expected to return over $7 billion per year for the NBA. ESPN will pay $2.8 billion annually, which is up from an initially reported $2.6 billion for the NBA's "A" package. That package includes the NBA Finals, a conference final, weekly primetime games, the WNBA and likely shared international rights. NBC's "B" package is believed to be worth $2.6 billion annually would probably include a "Basketball Night in America" on Sunday nights following the NFL season, a total of two primetime windows a week, conference semifinals and a conference final. Amazon's deal is believed to be worth between $1.8B and $2B and would likely include the Emirates In-Season Tournament, the SoFi Play-In Tournament, first-round playoff games, the WNBA and international rights. The final changes to the deals have been fluid and changing, but expected to be finalized in the coming days or week. Once the written bids are ratified, the NBA will take NBC's contract to Warner Bros. Discovery to see if they can match it in "total value." WBD may enact legal action over the rights. It's believed that the TNT parent company could contest its right to match the NBC deal. The NBA and WBD apparently have different definitions of what matching a deal would consist of. _______________ TNT is on the verge of losing the NBA after the 24-25 season with Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal reporting on how Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav mishandled negotiations with the league. While ESPN was firm on wanting to retain the "A" package and not letting it go to the open market by doubling its old rights fees from $1.4 billion per season to $2.8 billion, Zaslav believed he would only have to pay between $1.8 billion and $2.1 billion to retain the "B" package and refused to double it to $2.4 billion. WBD entered negotiations believing they could ultimately match any offer the NBA received for the package, but the league's contention is they cannot necessarily match it on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The NBA subsequently agreed to a $2.6 billion deal with NBC that virtually make it impossible for TNT to equal. WBD is believed to be preparing to sue the NBA over the issue.
So like reported last week, if WBD wants to, they can likely still have the rights but not sure they want to go through all that trouble as Zavlav never even wanted to pay 2.4 in the first place, let alone more. Please just accept your loss and allow us to enjoy NBA again on NBC! Btw what kind of broadcast crew would Prime have? Wish it was Apple rather than Bezos’ egotistical ass, but NBC is worth it.
Shaq was nice, Chuck , Ernie and Kenny were better. I'm sad it's over. Honestly, Chris Webber would have been a better choice than Shaq for the show.
For how long it's been on the air, it's still a popular show. That said, if Draymond is going to be their future permanent panel, then I'm ok with the show ending before he does.
Once this is finalized, I shall rejoice! The occasional funny bits, guests and great parts like KG getting his own sideshow just did not make up for Shaq, bad analysis, ranting, Kenny’s personality, anti-Houston agenda, Reggie Miller, Marv, etc.
Imagine winning four championships, multiple awards, all-nba teams, get a big contract to talk basketball, but there's some folks yelling that you suck. He probably loved that lmao
Putting the IST on Amazon seems like a good way to minimize viewership of a new concept that is not well-established. This is a big risk for the NBA. On the other hand, I get what Amazon is trying to do and it makes a lot of sense.
Yes it is. And sorry to say, as much as I respect Ernie in particular and of course the product they've put out cannot be denied since there's been great entertainment coming it from over the years, the move to include Draymond after EVERYTHING that man has shown is just very off-putting and they dug their own grave by allowing Shaq to be a petty galoot.
The show devolved into babysitting Shaq from the moment he got on. I wonder how Charles Barkley is going to pay for his gambling after this year, it's the main reason he still works a salaried job.
