There will be no more NBA basketball on TNT, as the NBA announced today that the league has signed a new media rights deal with ABC/ESPN, NBC/Peacock and Amazon Prime Video beginning with the 2025-26 season and running through the 2035-36 season.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“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,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in the release. “These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade.”
There had been hope that Warner Bros. Discovery and TNT would keep broadcasting rights after they matched Amazon’s offer earlier this week.
TNT Sports' statement on NBA media rights: pic.twitter.com/PteJJKJO5x
— TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsUS) July 22, 2024
However, the NBA issued the following statement today:
“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.
“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.
“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.”
This means the 2024-25 season will be the final year of the NBA on TNT’s award-winning studio show featuring Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith. Barkley has already announced he is retiring at the end of this year.
TNT has since responded, claiming they did match Amazon’s offer, which they have a contractual right to do, and don’t believe the NBA can reject it. They added they will “take appropriate action.”
TNT Sports' statement on NBA media rights: pic.twitter.com/9L3fiFXoDH
— TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsUS) July 24, 2024
The Walt Disney Company Partnership
According to the release on the new deal, The Walt Disney Company (parent company of ESPN and ABC) will distribute a total of 80 NBA regular-season games per season with 20 on ABC (generally on Saturday nights with NBA Saturday Primetime and on Sunday afternoons with NBA Sunday Showcase) and up to 60 games on ESPN (generally on Wednesday nights and, on occasion, Friday nights). Disney will remain the home of NBA Finals, Christmas Day, ESPN games on Wednesdays, NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC and NBA Sunday Showcase packages.
Additionally, “during the playoffs, ABC/ESPN will telecast approximately 18 games in the first two rounds each year and one of the two Conference Finals series in 10 of the 11 years of the agreement. ABC will remain the exclusive home of the NBA Finals, which it has broadcast since 2003.”
“We look forward to building upon our incredible legacy of innovation and growth with our longstanding partners at the NBA,” said ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro. “The NBA is a vibrant, ascendant league and through this premium collection of rights, including every NBA Finals on our platforms, we will continue to evolve together while successfully navigating the global digital transition and delivering the highest quality coverage for fans.”
ESPN continues its longstanding position as the primary media partner of the @NBA & @WNBA
With the NBA Finals remaining exclusively on Disney platforms thru 2036
Details: https://t.co/EhIeCdeDqz pic.twitter.com/BNGKJoEPTP
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) July 24, 2024
By the end of this renewal, the NBA’s partnership with ABC/ESPN will reach 34 years. NBCUniversal and Amazon are the new players in this deal.
NBCUniversal Partnership
This is how the partnership regarding NBA games with NBCUniversal will work with new weekly Sunday night primetime games, Tuesday regionalized games and Peacock games on Mondays:
“NBCU (NBC/Peacock) will distribute up to 100 NBA regular-season games per season – with more than half of the games airing on NBC (on Sunday and Tuesday nights). NBCU will telecast the league’s opening night doubleheader on NBC each year and at least two games on MLK Day on NBC and/or Peacock each season.
“Peacock will stream a doubleheader each Monday night of the season. Every Tuesday night, NBC will telecast two games across certain NBC affiliate broadcast stations in different regions of the country. The first game will start at 8 p.m. ET and be available on NBC across affiliate stations in the Eastern and Central time zones. The second game will start at 8 p.m. PT and be available on NBC affiliate stations across the Pacific and Mountain time zones. All Tuesday games will be available on Peacock nationally and certain stations may choose to televise both games.
“NBC will become the home of NBA All-Star, including Rising Stars, State Farm All-Star Saturday Night, featuring AT&T Slam Dunk, Starry 3-Point Contest and Kia Skills Challenge, and the All-Star Game. In the playoffs, NBC and/or Peacock will telecast approximately 28 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs, with at least half of those games airing on NBC. NBC will also telecast one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with Amazon, beginning with the 2025-26 season.”
Mike Cavanagh, President of Comcast Corporation, said in the release: “We are proud to once again partner with the NBA and WNBA, two iconic brands and the home of the best basketball in the world. We look forward to presenting our best-in-class coverage of both leagues with our innovative programming and distribution plan across NBC and Peacock to entertain fans and help grow the game.”
The NBA and WNBA are coming back to NBC. ????https://t.co/pLZwS7154l
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 24, 2024
Amazon Partnership
Amazon will have the lesser of the three packages and will stream the Emirates NBA Cup, SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament and games on Thursday and Friday Nights. It will also be the NBA’s strategic partner and third-party global destination for NBA League Pass.
“Amazon will distribute 66 NBA regular-season games on Prime Video each season, including Thursday night doubleheaders beginning in January, Friday evening doubleheaders, select Saturday afternoon games, at least one game on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), and the Quarterfinals and Semifinals in the Knockout Round of the Emirates NBA Cup. In addition, Prime Video will stream the Championship Game of the Emirates NBA Cup.
“Prime Video will also distribute all six SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament games. In the playoffs, Prime Video will stream approximately one-third of the first and second rounds each year. Additionally, Prime Video will stream one of the two Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with NBCU, beginning with the 2026-27 NBA season.
“Amazon will distribute NBA games globally as part of Prime Video, with an expanded package of games in select territories, including Mexico, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland. This expanded package includes a minimum of 20 additional primetime regular season games each year, a Conference Finals series each year, and the NBA Finals in six of the 11 years. Prime Video will also become the NBA’s strategic partner and third-party global destination of NBA League Pass – the league’s live NBA game subscription service, with expanded distribution rights for NBA League Pass in the U.S. and internationally. Additionally, as part of the agreement, Prime Video will stream half of all NBA Summer League games as well as a package of WNBA and NBA G League regular-season and postseason games.”
Mike Hopkins, Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said in the release: “We are honored that the NBA has entrusted Prime Video to deliver its one-of-a-kind action and excitement to viewers around the world. We look forward to continuing to innovate and evolve live sports coverage for our customers, and are fully committed to building an incredible video experience for millions of NBA fans starting in 2025.”
Regular Season, Playoffs, and more.
Read more about the landmark deal: https://t.co/lRLj7jBIWV pic.twitter.com/MDdNVg5jSM
— Sports on Prime (@SportsonPrime) July 24, 2024
Read the full release by clicking here.
Charles Barkley says he will retire from TV after next season
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, exclusive content, and access to our seasonal magazines! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
