New TV contract - NBA signs billion-dollar deal - Amazon replaces TNT
The North American basketball professional league NBA has closed a billion-dollar deal for future TV rights and replaced the previous rights holder TNT. The league announced that it has agreed with partners Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon for the eleven seasons from 2025/26 to 2035/36. According to consistent media reports, the world's best basketball league is supposed to earn a total of 76 billion Dollars (around 70 billion Euro) from this. The NBA did not disclose any figures.
"Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.
NBA Finals to remain on ABC
Disney remains the central partner with broadcasters ABC and ESPN. The two networks will show a large part of the playoffs and in ten of the eleven years, one of the two Conference Finals series. The Finals will remain exclusively on ABC through 2036 with commentator Mike Breen, who has commented on over 100 Playoff Finals. ABC has been the exclusive partner of the Finals since 2003. NBC and Amazon will share the remaining highlights.
Meanwhile, the threat looms for the broadcaster TNT Sports, which belongs to Warner Bros. Discovery as a previous partner. "We have matched Amazon's offer, to which we are contractually entitled," TNT Sports said in a statement. They announced their intention to challenge the decision. The league has been broadcast by the network for decades and employs prominent experts such as Charles Barkley and Shaquille O'Neal, who shaped the show "Inside the NBA" in the younger past.
More money in circulation
Through the billion-dollar deal, more money is supposed to be circulating in the NBA in the future. A few weeks ago, the German world champion Franz Wagner signed a five-year contract with the Orlando Magic, which guarantees him a sum of over 200 million Euros converted. Wagner will become the highest-earning German athlete with this.
- The new TV rights deal worth a billion dollars with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon will significantly boost the NBA's revenue, potentially reaching up to 76 billion dollars over the eleven seasons.
- Walt Disney, through its networks ABC and ESPN, will continue to be a significant partner for the NBA, showcasing a large portion of the playoffs and the Finals through 2036.
- The NBA's partnership with Amazon marks a new era for international basketball fans, as Amazon will share highlights during the NBA seasons from 2025/26 to 2035/36.
- TNT Sports, a previous partner of the NBA, has announced its intention to challenge the decision, citing their contractual right to match Amazon's offer for future broadcast rights.
- The increased revenue from the billion-dollar deal will likely result in larger salaries for NBA players, making Franz Wagner the highest-earning German athlete with his new five-year contract worth over 200 million Euros.
- This new media agreement between the NBA and its partners includes networking with the NBA - Professional League, allowing for wider coverage and more accessibility of NBA games for fans worldwide.
