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

[K-Apps]

So NBC taking those weekends looks likely then

Maybe, I could see the Saturday Night game staying both regular season and playoffs staying on ABC.

 

[K-Apps]

John Ourand of Puck Media with an update:

I don’t want to get all meta and mise-en-scène for The Varsity audience, but a funny thing happened to me this morning as I was writing this very story about how the NBA’s exclusive negotiating window with ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery would end at midnight tonight sans any deals. As I typed away, I started to receive a flurry of texts and calls from well-wired sources in the center of the action, a number of whom suggested that handshake agreements could be reached among the parties before the clock struck 12. “It’s a coin flip,” one executive told me. “Stay close to your phone.”
Handshake agreements, obviously, are not signed deals or agreements in principle or even M.O.U.s. Nevertheless, talks are taking place as we publish this, and it has become increasingly clear that ESPN and WBD are in good positions to claim two of the NBA’s packages.

As it turns out, this exclusive negotiating window was more active than we have been led to believe, and both ESPN and WBD provided the required loyalty oaths indicating that they want to stay in business with the league. Now, the NBA can begin to determine whether it wants to create a third or fourth package, which certainly would include meaningful playoff games.

All along, my best league sources predicted that ESPN would renew its NBA deal, albeit with fewer regular season and playoff games as a nod to ESPN’s fiscal responsibility and the NBA’s desire to create packages to attract other suitors. ESPN has pushed to keep the NBA Finals exclusively, but the NBA is considering having another media company carry it every other year as a way to get those third-party suitors to up their bids. My sources have also predicted that WBD, with its $40 billion in debt, was more likely to face competition from Amazon and NBC for its package of games, which currently includes conference finals. The optimism coming from WBD this week suggests that it is prepared to pay up.

Regardless of whether or not the handshake deals actually materialize tonight, the NBA will now hit the open market with up to four packages. NBC executives have publicly stated that they are interested in cutting a deal. Apple, YouTube, Amazon, and Netflix all are expected to commence talks with the NBA. YouTube, for its part, has expressed interest in picking up the rights to NBA League Pass. Apple TV+ has the money, obviously, but its reach is not significant enough to be considered a serious player.

Netflix and Amazon, however, offer a tantalizing opportunity for commissioner Adam Silver, who has repeatedly expressed excitement about the benefits of streaming—dropping hints in talking points and prepared remarks about resetting success metrics beyond traditional ratings, etcetera. In some respects, Silver is taking a page from his mentor and predecessor, the late David Stern, whose steadfast efforts to internationalize the game came to extraordinary fruition from the Dream Team era to the Yao Ming days to the current milieu. Silver is so enamored by these big streaming companies, among other reasons, on account of their international reach. Instead of selling rights packages country by country, the NBA could use Amazon Prime or Netflix to go international in an instant.

In particular, Netflix presents a wildcard. The streamer, whose stock has rebounded from its whipsaw two years ago, has been dabbling in live sports and recently demonstrated some interest in the In-Season Tournament and postseason play-in games. In a report published last week, financial analyst Michael Nathanson wrote, “Netflix seems poised to further invest into the world of sports. We aren’t overly concerned about the potential of high sports rights costs weighing on margins, as long as Netflix stays away from acquiring a major sports package. We also believe that, despite its higher upfront costs, sports could actually be a better use of money for Netflix than some of its current original programming thanks to the dependability of the eyeballs sports delivers.”

 

[K-Apps]

 

[Forsaken]

NBA signing restricted free agent TV deals.

 

[Anerdyblackguy]

TNT won’t have the money to match an offer. 40 billion in debt is just too much.

 

[K-Apps]

TNT won’t have the money to match an offer. 40 billion in debt is just too much.

I doubt either will if it’s to take away from their current package. This report makes sense that the option exists, but I think the new TV deal will be designed to have more than 2 media partners.

 

[Avisible Man]

Adam Silver has been praising WBD (Warner Bros.) over the last several months. I expect a deal. Also, WBD operates NBA TV and NBA.com.

 

[beenz]

Amazon Prime should definitely be considered by the NBA for regular season viewership instead of using League Pass. NBC didn't like the viewership they attracted the last time they had it so I don't think they should have it now. CBS would be great and preferred, but likely won't happen. Fox is status if they're interested. NBA would have to accept being in the backseat till the NFL season ends, including on Christmas.

I'm fine with apple and NBC getting in the NBA business. apple has the best picture quality of all the streaming services and the NBC has a great history with the NBA from the 90's.

I DON'T want amazon to get it because I HATE watching sports in the prime app. I cannot flip channels like I currently do on YTTV. plus amazon doesn't offer multiview like apple/ESPN/TNT

 

[prime]

Maybe, I could see the Saturday Night game staying both regular season and playoffs staying on ABC.

It might be the other way around nbc has golf and nascar so they can't air Sunday afternoon games but nbc can air Saturday night games

 

[K-Apps]

It might be the other way around nbc has golf and nascar so they can't air Sunday afternoon games but nbc can air Saturday night games

I could see NBC bringing back that 5:30 pm late Sunday afternoon slot like back in the tripleheader days (the lead game). Both Marchand and Jon Lewis of SMW have said that’s the best time slot for a weekend sporting event (e.g NFL)

 

[Saysumthinfunnymike]

The $40B in debt doesn't mean Warner Bros. won't pay up. They have already eliminated a lot of the debt they took on from AT&T. They understand how important the NBA is to their cable channels and also if they plan on streaming more games on Max.

And the NBA understands how important Warner Bros. is for them as they have the best presentation and best studio show.

 

[K-Apps]

AA makes their prediction:

 

[tremonthustler1]

It might be the other way around nbc has golf and nascar so they can't air Sunday afternoon games but nbc can air Saturday night games

if they did they may start them earlier because NBC ain't tryna piss Lorne off again by pushing SNL back.

 

[Rev]

 

[FakeNews]

We all knew it was most likely staying with Disney but still wack they keep the finals and “A” package.

Seems like they got Silver by the balls pause but he really needs to demand they step up their game in terms of discourse, presentation, commentators, basically everything