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

[In The Zone '98]

The new show is on CNN? Ain’t that Turner too?

they actually going into production with that?

 

[Saysumthinfunnymike]

I been saying it, The cable providers are not going to allow ESPN and TNT to bend them over anymore so in turn those two are probably going to take less games so they don't have to pay as much money to the NBA.

The NBA in turn will have to acquire more partners which they will do but they should be careful not to add too many, that has not been good for things like NASCAR with all their coverage spread out everywhere and not readily available.

 

[Forsaken]

I been saying it, The cable providers are not going to allow ESPN and TNT to bend them over anymore so in turn those two are probably going to take less games so they don't have to pay as much money to the NBA.

The NBA in turn will have to acquire more partners which they will do but they should be careful not to add too many, that has not been good for things like NASCAR with all their coverage spread out everywhere and not readily available.

The only thing keeping cable television alive is local sports.

 

[FTBS]

So Marchand predicts that:

ESPN/ABC - Games on Friday/Saturdays on ABC with playoffs and Finals every other year

TNT- Games on Tuesdays, All-Star Game and less playoffs

NBC - Games on Sunday after SNF and Finaks every other year and conference final

Amazon - Games on Thursday after TNF and playoffs.

Sounds after right, but I would add that I expect some exclusive games on ESPN+, Peacock and possibly Max.

Sounds good to me...especially getting the CF back on broadcast. Its silly to have everything on cable and then have the Finals on broadcast. I like other networks getting in on it too. Makes it feel important and we get different types of coverage and perspectives.

 

[MikelArteta]

NBC BYKE?

 

[FAH1223]

NBATV will probably get Monday/Wednesday

They not paying Barkely $20m to work one day a week...

They will still have games, just not as much. WBD has been cutting costs ever since the merger so them wanting less games for a more reasonable increase in rights fee makes sense.

Remember, WBD Sports operates NBA TV. Does that continue in the new deal? I think so based on all of this information...

NBC BYKE?

To the Comcast executives lurking this thread. Please use the version that was used on TV. Not this long winded original track.

Like this:

 

[K-Apps]

Alex Sherman has big predictions that will affect the NBA in 2024:

Executive 1: Comcast will spin off NBCUniversal and merge it with Warner Bros. Discovery​

Warner Bros. Discovery is approaching the two-year anniversary of its 2022 merger, when Discovery combined with WarnerMedia. That deadline is important for Reverse Morris Trust tax reasons.Without getting into the boring details, the important part is Warner Bros. Discovery can do another significant deal two years after the close of Discovery and WarnerMedia.
One executive targeted NBCUniversal as the most likely acquirer of Warner Bros. Discovery. This executive predicted Comcast CEO Brian Roberts would spin off NBCUniversal so that the new company would trade separately. But, Comcast (and Roberts) would keep a controlling stake of the ownership of the new entity. A second executive suggested a more expansive scenario. Comcast will keep its theme parks business but sell the rest of the company in exchange for WBD common shares. Comcast will get a premium for the remainder of NBCUniversal in exchange for Roberts giving up his voting shares. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav runs the combined company, with NBCUniversal film chief Donna Langley staying on to run an expanded studio.

Executive 6: NBA rights will go to Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Apple​

One of the most closely watched media stories of 2024 will be what the National Basketball Association decides to do with its media rights. I reported in October that the NBA ideally wants three mediapartners with different packages of games.
Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are the incumbents. Both want to maintain carriage relationships with the NBA, though both companies have also stressed they will be financial disciplined. The league is also looking for a robust streaming option. This is where Applewould fit in. (For what it’s worth, a second executive said he didn’t think Apple would even make a bid for NBA rights and thought NBCUniversal’s Peacock might end up with them.)

 

[Forsaken]

Having to buy peacock to see games would suck.

Hopefully YouTube steps up to get the streaming rights.

 

[K-Apps]

 

[FAH1223]

@K-Apps @Thavoiceofthevoiceless i was wondering why there was an ABC game on Wednesday

 

[KidJSoul]

All these mergers are crazy.

Either way, I just hope the NBA doesn't go to streaming. Amazon I can tolerate but nothing more.

 

[K-Apps]

@K-Apps @Thavoiceofthevoiceless i was wondering why there was an ABC game on Wednesday

Yea I read about that last month, surprised it wasn’t a straight national game (game is airing locally on MSG in NY), but that’s probably because Knicks are gonna have a lot of national games exclusively coming up and wanted to protect the limit they have. I doubt it changes anything in the future, but will be interesting to see the ratings.

 

[K-Apps]

All these mergers are crazy.

Either way, I just hope the NBA doesn't go to streaming. Amazon I can tolerate but nothing more.

I got some bad news breh, likely Disney and WBD (NBC too if they get a package) will put games exclusively on their streaming services. These companies desperately want them to succeed and NBA games may help sadly.

 

[K-Apps]

John Ourand predicts NBA signs deals with Disney, WBD, Amazon, and NBC:

NBA signs $5 billion worth of media deals per year​

The NBA nearly doubles the average annual value of its media rights haul by carving out four packages. ESPN retains the top package alongside Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon Prime Video and NBC. The deals are finalized in the spring.

ESPN wants to keep exclusive rights to the NBA Finals but ends up sharing them every other year with NBC, ensuring that the Finals remains on broadcast television. One reason ESPN agrees to give up part of the NBA Finals — and carry fewer regular-season games — is to conserve money for other deals it will cut later in the year.

Amazon’s deal includes a weekly regular-season schedule — probably Thursday nights — and an exclusive playoff series. Look for Amazon to use Warner Bros. Discovery Sports’ production teams and some of its talent on games, similar to how Amazon uses NBC Sports production on its “Thursday Night Football” games. The NBC and WBD Sports deals include some games that are exclusive to their streaming services, Peacock and Max.

Apple makes a run to pick up all the NBA’s rights globally and actually makes an offer that tempts Commissioner Adam Silver. But the NBA is not ready to give up the reach that broadcast television provides. Netflix does not bid on a package of live rights, but commits to a “Drive to Survive”-style series for the league.

Bonus prediction: Soon after the NBA announces its new media deal, it announces expansion into two markets: Las Vegas and Seattle.

 

[FakeNews]

ESPN currently negotiating to retain the CFP for 1.3 billion. How much will be left for the NBA