ABC, ESPN Take Shot at NBA Rights Tue, Dec 4, 2001 02:26 PM PDT LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - ABC Sports and ESPN have made a combined bid for broadcast rights to National Basketball Association games that reportedly exceeds the value of the league's current contract with NBC and Turner Sports. The ABC-ESPN offer is higher than the $2.6 billion paid under the current four-year contract, which expires after this season, The New York Times reports. It's not known whether NBC and Turner Sports, which broadcasts games on TBS and TNT, have made a counteroffer. The NBA gave NBC and Turner exclusive negotiaion rights for four weeks starting Sept. 22. If no deal was reached in that time, the league could then open itself to other offers. An industry source says NBC wanted to cut its future rights payments, but that was before ABC expressed interest. TBS and TNT air games three nights a week during the season, while NBC's weekend NBA showcases usually begin Christmas Day. (The network moved up its NBA premiere this season to cover Michael Jordan's comeback with the Washington Wizards.) Should the Disney-owned ABC and ESPN win the rights and follow the same broadcast schedule, it could lead to significant changes in the sports lineup for both outlets. Both have long-term deals in place to broadcast college basketball and the National Football League, and ESPN and ESPN2 also carry National Hockey League games. Some of the cable broadcasts would likely be placed on the newest Disney property, ABC Family. http://tv.zap2it.com/news/tvnewsdaily.html?22325
Good and bad things about this... Good-ESPN's Sportscenter will finally give NBA Basketball some airtime(Not Jordantime). Bad-Unlike most, I like the NBC Broadcasts, not as much as Turner Sports, but still solid sportscasting, IMO.
Wouldn't that be awesome if they got Al Michaels to do some basketball games? I'm a huge Al Michaels fan, every game he does kicks ass...
Also, ABC seems to do a good job with their marketing strategies. They try to market the good teams every year instead of highly touted individual players. I hope they do the same with NBA if they get it. It would be a refreshing change to not see Kobes ugly mug on tv everytime i turn it on.
It doesn't matter what network has NBA rights because most of the announcers will just switch networks. Remember when the AFC moved to CBS. Greg Gumbel, Dick Enberg, and a few others are now on CBS. I like the current system. NBC, TNT, and TBS. It's that simple. Next year it could be ABC, Fox Family, ESPN, ESPN 2, NBA.COM TV, and possibly CNNSI. And then it says ABC/ESPN and the NBA want to make a new channel. Some people have a lot of money to blow.
If everyone switches over, I think ABC and ESPN will do a much better job. It might make ESPN2 worth something.
I'd prefer not to see this happen. When TNT stopped doing the NFL. Their one hour post-game show went away too, and I thought it was cool when the football players were interviewed live after the game. Since ESPN does all the Sunday Night NFL, they go straight to Sportscenter after the game is over. If TNT stopped doing the NBA. "Inside the NBA" would go away away too, and the viewers would lose the comical acts of Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Barkley. ESPN will just go to Sportscenter. That is less interesting.
can anyone say.............ESPN 3!!! seriously,........if they do take over, they gotta keep Ernie, Kenny & Charles together. Inside the NBA is a great Show and i would miss only that from the current show's. NBC does SUCK!
NOOOO!! That would mean no more NBA on NBC theme song! Unless they played the original Monday Night Football instrumental song, then it would be ok
I'd like to see Chris Berman do an NBA game and see what kind of nicknames he comes up with the players just like he does on Primetime.
