The massive increase in rights fees raises at least some possibility that top players could be making around $80 million in the 2030-31 season, with nine figures on the way by the mid-2030s.
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The NBA has agreed to terms on its new media deal, an 11-year agreement worth $76 billion that assures player salaries will continue rising for the foreseeable future and one that will surely change how some viewers access the game for years to come.
A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that the networks have the terms sheets, with the next step being for the league’s board of governors to approve the contracts.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because they weren’t at liberty to discuss such impending matters.
The deal, which set NBA records for both its length and total value, goes into effect for the 2025-26 season. Games will continue being aired on ESPN and ABC, and some will be going to NBC and Amazon Prime. TNT Sports, which has been part of the league’s broadcasting family since the 1980s, could be on its way out, but has five days to match one of the deals.
ESPN’s main nights would continue to be Wednesday with some Friday and Sunday games.
The return of NBC, which carried NBA games from 1990-2002, gives the league two broadcast network partners for the first time.
NBC would showcase games on Sunday night once the NFL season has ended. It will air games on Tuesdays throughout the regular season, while a Monday night package of games would be exclusively streamed on Peacock.
Prime Video would have games on Thursday night after it is done carrying NFL games. Its other nights would be Friday and Saturday.
NBC and Prime Video would alternate who carries the other conference final.
