The NBA has reached a historic 11-year media rights deal worth $76 billion, set to take effect in the 2025-26 season, impacting player salaries and viewership access.
According to multiple reports, the deal involves continued games airing on ESPN and ABC, with NBC and Amazon Prime also acquiring broadcasting rights. TNT Sports, a longstanding broadcaster, may be on its way out unless they match the terms within five days.
The big picture: ESPN and ABC will retain the top package, including the NBA Finals and one conference finals series, with ABC continuing to feature weekend games post-NFL season.
- The return of NBC as a broadcaster will see Sunday night games post-NFL season, while Tuesday games will be aired throughout the regular season, and Monday games will exclusively stream on Peacock.
- Prime Video will feature Thursday games post-NFL season, along with Friday and Saturday games. NBC and Prime Video will alternate broadcasting the other conference final.
Go deeper: The deal is expected to result in a 10% annual rise in the league’s salary cap, leading to substantial salary increases for players in the coming years, potentially reaching $100 million per season for top players by the mid-2030s.
- This deal also paves the way for potential NBA expansion, with Las Vegas and Seattle among the top candidates.
- The increased broadcast rights packages over the last 25 years have significantly fueled the rise in player salaries, with the total value of the media rights climbing by about 2,800% from 1998-99 to the 2025 deal, factoring in inflation.
