The NBA is preparing for a major shift in its media rights deals after the 2024-25 season, with Amazon Prime Video and the league finalizing a deal that will see the streaming giant become a key platform for game telecasts starting from the 2025-26 season. The terms of the deal are expected to last at least 10 years and could potentially include regular season, postseason, and even conference finals games, as well as global broadcast rights.
Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed, but comparisons have been made to ESPN’s reported $1.6 billion per year and TNT’s $1.2 billion per year agreements. With ESPN/ABC also working on a new deal, there is speculation that ESPN may televise fewer games in the future, making way for potential partnerships with other TV networks. This has raised questions about whether the package could go to TNT or NBC.
NBC, which lost NBA broadcast rights in 2002, is interested in securing NBA broadcasts for its streaming platform Peacock. TNT, owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, has the right to match any deal to retain NBA telecasts, but losing them would leave a significant gap in their prime-time schedule. Amazon’s NBA broadcasts may be streamed on Thursday nights, potentially overlapping with the NFL’s Thursday Night Football broadcasts. Google is also reportedly interested in carrying NBA League Pass, the league’s out-of-market broadcast package.
The impending expiration of the NBA’s media rights deals has sparked curiosity about what comes next for the league and its partners. With Amazon Prime Video now on board as a significant platform for game telecasts, it looks like the NBA is set to continue its push into digital media and streaming services.
