National Basketball Association (NBA)
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league that consists of 30 teams in North America — 29 in the United States and one in Canada.
Domestic telecast rights to NBA games are held by the Walt Disney Company’s ESPN, Warner Bros Discovery’s TNT Sports and several regional sports broadcasters through the 2024-25 season.
Starting with the 2025-26 season, nationally-televised NBA games are tentatively scheduled to move from TNT Sports to Comcast’s NBC Sports and Amazon’s Prime Video.
Network affiliates to FCC: Sports antitrust exemption should apply to broadcast TV only
Affiliates argue that streaming platforms' exclusive sports rights deals force fans to pay for games previously available free on broadcast TV and reduce networks' investment in local news.
FIRST ON THE DESK
Hub: Sports fans still frustrated by broadcast, streaming TV deals
Fragmented media rights deals force viewers to navigate multiple apps and subscriptions to follow a single sport or team.
Report: NBA considers streaming hub for local games
The NBA is exploring a centralized streaming package for locally televised games, holding talks with YouTube TV, Prime Video, ESPN and DAZN.
FCC seeks public comment on TV sports rights deals
The FCC is probing whether sports rights deals with streaming services are chipping away at the ability to watch premium events on free broadcast TV.
FIRST ON THE DESK
NBA sees higher TV ratings from NBC, ESPN under new rights package
NBA games are averaging 1.8 million viewers across the NBA's three TV partners, up 16 percent from last season.
RATINGS
Roku wants to help eliminate streaming sports confusion
As sports moves across different channels and apps, Roku sees an opportunity to help fans find the games they want.
Nielsen: Football, NBA make NBC highest-rated network during third week of October
The return of NBA games on NBC help solidified the network as the most-watched during the period between October 20 and October 26.
RATINGS
NBA takes full control of cable network from Warner Bros Discovery
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is controlling the destiny of its eponymous cable network moving forward.
Gray Media renews deal for Phoenix Suns, Mercury games
The Phoenix Suns and Mercury signed a two-year extension with Gray Television to air games free over-the-air across Arizona through 2027-28.
Ampere: Sports rights fees climb to $30.5 billion in 2025
Spending on U.S. sports rights has soared 122 percent over the past decade, fueled by blockbuster rights deals with the NFL and NBA, according to Ampere Analysis.
NBA Finals ad spend reaches $286 million
The seven-game NBA Finals might have pulled in smaller numbers for ABC and ESPN Plus this year, but it was still financially lucrative for parent company Disney.
NBA Finals Game 7 grabs 16.353 million viewers
Game 7 of the NBA Finals drew an average audience of 16.353 million viewers on Sunday.