NBA approves new media deals with Disney (ABC/ESPN), Comcast (NBC), and Amazon for 11 years, $77 billion. Update: NBA REJECTS WBD's (TNT Sports) deal
- Thread starter Anerdyblackguy
- Start date
KnickstapeCity
:mjpls:
It’s lit
Hell of a run. Enjoyed the TNT broadcast of actual games but Inside The NBA was turning into nothing but Haterville
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EzekelRAGE
Superstar
So either WBD was bluffing about matching or they may take NBA to court for denying it?
Edit: I see above the tweet says they threatening to sue lol.
I dont think they would have to match in terms of reach though long as they could match the financial shyt and put it on streaming. If NBA denied them just based on not having the same number of subs, then WBD would probably take that to court. When a company has the opportunity to match, it's usually monetary wise.
Edit: I see above the tweet says they threatening to sue lol.
@Anerdyblackguy time to update the thread title
NBA approves new media deals with Disney (ABC/ESPN), Comcast (NBC), and Amazon for 11 years, $77 billion. Update: NBA REJECTS WBD's (TNT Sports) proposal to match Amazon! WBD may sue!
Saysumthinfunnymike
VOTE!!!
This was expected. Now it's time to see if WBD actually sues or not.
AlbertPullhoez
The Takeover
Straight up fukk shyt. fukk NBC
The NBA announced new 11-year TV deals with incumbent ESPN and newcomers NBC and Amazon Prime Video, rejecting TNT Sports’ right to match, which could lead to a legal battle between the network and the league, according to sources briefed on the deal.
The forthcoming agreements with ESPN, NBC and Amazon are not set to begin until the 2025-26 season, meaning TNT could go into this season, its final under its current contract, with the specter of suing the league it is covering.
The agreements, announced Wednesday, also include the WNBA, which is expected to receive a total of $2.2 billion over 11 years.
TNT Sports, according to sources briefed on the matter, has honed its sights on Amazon’s streaming-only agreement, which includes the playoffs, six conference finals, the In-Season Tournament and regular season action. Amazon’s deal is for around $1.93 billion per year, according to sources briefed on the precise numbers. Amazon will also continue to air the WNBA.
“Warner Bros. Discovery’s most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video’s offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon,” the NBA said in a statement.
“Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans. Our new arrangement with Amazon supports this goal by complementing the broadcast, cable and streaming packages that are already part of our new Disney and NBCUniversal arrangements. All three partners have also committed substantial resources to promote the league and enhance the fan experience.”
TNT’s current nine-year contract includes backend rights, that from TNT’s point of view, allows it to simply say it wants to keep the NBA and will assume Amazon’s deal.
When the current agreements were signed a decade ago, streaming was on the horizon, but not part of the deals. This is why the two sides could end up in court.
Neither side would likely want to enter a legal case, where private conversations could become public during discovery. If TNT does file a suit, it could lead to more talks and a possible compromise with other NBA rights or financial possibilities being the outcome.
Both sides have been preparing for this scenario for a while. TNT Sports’ parent company’s CEO, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, has publicly stated that his network has the right to match. The Athletic first reported that Amazon had a framework agreement with the NBA in April. It has been a collision course ever since.
On its earnings call this week, NBC’s parent company, Comcast, said that its deal for NBA and WNBA games is, for the most part, completed. NBC will have six conference finals over the 11 years, a heavy amount of playoff games and the All-Star game. On Mondays during the regular season, Peacock will have exclusive games, while on Tuesdays and Sundays, NBC will have showcases. The Sunday Night package will dovetail after the NFL season ends. NBC is paying around $2.5 billion per year.
ABC/ESPN will continue as the home of the NBA Finals. It will have conference finals in 10 of the 11 seasons, plus playoff and regular season games. It will pay $2.6 billion per year, a shade less than the $2.7 billion it doles out to the NFL.
The new deals will not go into effect until the 2025-2026 season. For the upcoming year, ABC/ESPN and TNT Sports remain the NBA’s partners. The NBA is prepared to say goodbye.
“We are grateful to Turner Sports for its award-winning coverage of the NBA and look forward to another season of the NBA on TNT,” the NBA said in the conclusion of its statement.
It is more possible than ever that TNT Sports could enter the year suing the NBA to remain together for another 11 years, while the league wants a divorce.
Reach definitely has to count for something. Yeah the league wants the check but they also want more people watching, which brings additional revenue in other avenues.
Saysumthinfunnymike
VOTE!!!
If Zaslav doesn't sue then it's all for nothing.
