Final yr, the NBA signed a brand new 11-year, $77-billion media rights deal that can make the league loads richer and dramatically alter the tune-in habits of followers when the 2025-26 season ideas off this week.
Warner Bros. Discovery’s cable community TNT will now not carry the league’s video games, however its iconic studio present “Inside the NBA” lives on at ESPN.
Extra video games will air completely on streaming platforms than ever earlier than as Amazon Prime Video and NBCUniversal’s Peacock have vital packages within the new deal.
Right here’s what it’s essential know earlier than the motion begins.
“Roundball Rock” returns
NBC is again within the NBA enterprise after 23 years, carrying as much as 100 common season video games on the printed community and its Peacock streaming platform. The community will carry a major time recreation Tuesdays beginning this week and Sundays as of Feb. 1. NBCUniversal’s Telemundo will carry 12 of the Sunday night time NBA video games in Spanish. Peacock will completely stream as much as three video games nationally Mondays.
NBC can be the brand new residence for the NBA’s All-Star weekend, set for February in Los Angeles.
John Tesh performs “Roundball Rock” in an NBC Sports activities promo for its NBA protection.
(NBC Sports activities)
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver mentioned in an interview that the league’s transfer to NBC is extra of a homecoming than a transition.
“A lot of the DNA is still in place,” Silver mentioned. “Many of the producers we worked with 20-plus years ago are still with the organization. In some ways we’re able to pick up where we left off.”
The community is leaning into its heritage as the house of the league from 1990 to 2002, when Michael Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to 6 championships, galvanizing fan curiosity to new heights. Even John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” — the infectious percussive theme track used in the course of the period — is returning.
Jordan has been employed as a particular contributor, however the community has performed it near the vest about how the NBA legend will likely be used.
“You will see him on opening night in some capacity,” NBC Sports activities President Rick Cordella advised The Instances.
Western Convention followers ought to recognize NBC’s strategy to its “Coast 2 Coast Tuesday” telecasts beginning Oct. 28. In most weeks, NBC TV stations within the Western and Mountain time zones will get their very own video games in prime time at 8 p.m., reasonably than a 5 p.m. begin time for an East Coast contest.
Cordella famous that having having separate prime time video games in two areas will assist increase rankings as extra folks will likely be obtainable to look at in these hours. Followers throughout the nation will be capable of stream each video games on Peacock regardless of the place they reside.
A brand new residence for ‘Inside the NBA’
ESPN retained its package deal of standard season video games, playoffs and the NBA Finals. However probably the most anticipated factor of its protection this season would be the arrival of “Inside the NBA,” airing earlier than and after chosen video games on ESPN and ABC.
When TNT misplaced the rights to the NBA, followers of the unfiltered gabfest with Ernie Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith have been despondent over the potential of its demise after 36 years. ESPN reached an settlement with TNT to proceed producing this system in change for a package deal of faculty soccer video games.
Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley on “Inside the NBA.”
(TNT Sports activities)
Beginning with a doubleheader Tuesday, “Inside the NBA” will air for an hour earlier than chosen video games on ESPN and a half-hour forward of ABC telecasts.
Postgame editions will likely be open-ended on ESPN whereas ABC will run a half-hour after which proceed on the ESPN app. This system will air on 20 dates in the course of the common season and all through the NBA Playoffs, together with the Jap Convention Finals and the NBA Finals.
“We want them to do their show,” Corrigan mentioned.
The entire video games on ESPN and ABC can be found on ESPN’s not too long ago launched direct-to-consumer streaming service obtainable to followers who don’t have a pay TV subscription.
NBA involves Prime Video
Amazon is the brand new child on the block, with 67 NBA video games completely on the Prime Video streaming platform beginning with a doubleheader Friday.
The streamer will carry each recreation within the knockout spherical of the Emirates NBA Cup, the postseason SoFi Play-In Event and first- and second-round playoff video games. Prime may also carry two worldwide NBA video games this yr and deal with the convention finals in six of the following 11 seasons.
Prime Video will make on-screen advance stats a part of its NBA protection.
(Prime Video)
Prime developed various on-screen options for its “Thursday Night Football” protection, and viewers can count on the identical for the NBA, the place followers can entry pivotal moments within the recreation or get a fast recap in the event that they tune in late.
Followers who subscribe to NBA League Move, a streaming platform that gives entry to out-of-market video games, can hyperlink the service to Prime Video to look at a number of video games without delay on the identical display.
Prime Video can be teaming with the web sportsbook app FanDuel, giving bettors the power to trace the progress of their wagers whereas watching a recreation. (FanDuel isn’t obtainable to make use of in California.)
