Proposal for new NBA TV contracts in 2025

[Big Z Man 1990]

The NBA will start new TV contracts in 2025. I expect ABC, ESPN, and TNT to still be broadcasting games, but would now be joined by a couple of new faces.

First, the NBA dives into streaming by placing a package of exclusive games on Peacock. Since it is the NBCUniversal streaming service, the games should use Roundball Rock as the theme - but it would have to be licensed from Fox since they bought the rights to the theme a few years ago for college basketball.

Second, CBS joins as the new rightsholder for Saturday night games, with ABC continuing to broadcast games on Sunday afternoon.

CBS games would be co-produced by CBS Sports and Turner Sports and use TNT's theme, games on TNT would also begin to be co-produced by CBS and Turner, expanding their partnership beyond March Madness.

Saturday night games on CBS would start at 9 PM ET, allowing a new episode of 48 Hours to air beforehand. Pregame coverage for the CBS Saturday night games would be handled by TNT as installments of Inside the NBA.

ABC and CBS would alternate the rights to the NBA Finals every year.

 

[OG6ix]

The NBA will start new TV contracts in 2025. I expect ABC, ESPN, and TNT to still be broadcasting games, but would now be joined by a couple of new faces.

First, the NBA dives into streaming by placing a package of exclusive games on Peacock. Since it is the NBCUniversal streaming service, the games should use Roundball Rock as the theme - but it would have to be licensed from Fox since they bought the rights to the theme a few years ago for college basketball.

Second, CBS joins as the new rightsholder for Saturday night games, with ABC continuing to broadcast games on Sunday afternoon.

CBS games would be co-produced by CBS Sports and Turner Sports and use TNT's theme, games on TNT would also begin to be co-produced by CBS and Turner, expanding their partnership beyond March Madness.

Saturday night games on CBS would start at 9 PM ET, allowing a new episode of 48 Hours to air beforehand. Pregame coverage for the CBS Saturday night games would be handled by TNT as installments of Inside the NBA.

ABC and CBS would alternate the rights to the NBA Finals every year.

Everything that I have heard and read is that ESPN+ and HBOMax (Turner) will be pushing for the League pass streaming rights while Apple is also on that mix. On the TV side I expect them to have ESPN/ABC and Turner but I'm curious if they will carve out a third package for Fox Sports or CBS.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

CBS would be more likely as they don't come with the baggage that Fox does. Peacock should have the streaming package because many NBA fans want Roundball Rock used for NBA games again.

 

[doublejman]

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[doublejman]

If the NBA craves out a third package and it’s a TV only package Fox would have to be the clear leader, fox has the broadcast network and FS1. I also think there would be a better chance of seeing a package of regular season games on fox than CBS or NBC. But with a lack of a streaming option Fox would be out if the package is streaming only or stream/tv.

 

[Voight]

IMO sports teams giving rights to streaming services will result in less fans. Hard for people to be a casual fan when they need to pay for a specific service, vs having it readily available on TV. Also harder to bring in fans when they won't see as many games channel surfing.

 

[OG6ix]

IMO sports teams giving rights to streaming services will result in less fans. Hard for people to be a casual fan when they need to pay for a specific service, vs having it readily available on TV. Also harder to bring in fans when they won't see as many games channel surfing.

The casual fan also exists on streaming platforms so big games could technically go to the Hulus/Peacocks of the world. Reality is Streaming is happening across multiple devices including TVs and will continue to get bigger eventually having more reach than Cable which will be exclusively on TV. Cable channels here are now already offering their tv channels via streaming with additional content.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

I think the chance for CBS and Turner to expand their March Madness partnership to include the NBA is very enticing. Plus the NBA is very progressive which conflicts with the views of one of Fox's cable channels.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I hope ESPN gets ESPN+ exclusive games. Just for the reaction of basketball fans.

 

[46zone]

I think the chance for CBS and Turner to expand their March Madness partnership to include the NBA is very enticing. Plus the NBA is very progressive which conflicts with the views of one of Fox's cable channels.

The NBA's political stances haven't stopped them from broadcasting their games on Sinclair networks, or in China, so I very much doubt the NBA would refuse to make a deal with FOX.

 

[46zone]

I hope ESPN gets ESPN+ exclusive games. Just for the reaction of basketball fans.

I don't doubt that could happen, or at least a small slice of the ESPN package includes ESPN+ exclusive games. ESPN+ already has the NHL, Apple TV has some exclusive MLB games, and Amazon now has Thursday Night Football. I think this will be baked into these deals going forward.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I don't doubt that could happen, or at least a small slice of the ESPN package includes ESPN+ exclusive games. ESPN+ already has the NHL, Apple TV has some exclusive MLB games, and Amazon now has Thursday Night Football. I think this will be baked into these deals going forward.

Probably less important games. You won’t see Lakers vs Celtics on it.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

The NBA's political stances haven't stopped them from broadcasting their games on Sinclair networks

That's because there are no other choices in most markets where Bally Sports operates.

With national games, the NBA does have a choice, And if they want to keep shutting out Fox, they will do it.

Also, I'd like to see an overall increase in the amount of regular season games on broadcast TV. ABC is broadcasting only three Sunday afternoon games this season. That's too few.

 

[Kirk Van Houten]

Could this be a test for the new deal since it's a couple years away?

 

[Reaser]

Could this be a test for the new deal since it's a couple years away?

Those 3 games are part of the NBA's new "Rivals Week."

The NBA on ABC breakdown:

3 Games on Christmas
3 Games on Saturday to end "Rivals Week"
-excluding above-
6 Saturday Night Primetime games
1 Saturday 1pm game
2 Sunday afternoon doubleheaders
1 Sunday single game.

8 Saturdays (10 games)
3 Sundays (5 games)
Christmas (3 games / it's on a Sunday so 4 Sunday's 8 games)

18 total regular season games on ABC.

For comparison sake, last season:

7 Saturday Night Primetime games (7 games)
5 Sundays (4 DHs = 9 Games)
Christmas (3 games)

19 total regular season games on ABC.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

Rivals Week would be more interesting if the NBA adopts a schedule format heavy on division games, which can be done much more efficiently by expanding to 32 with the new teams likely in Seattle and Vegas, with Vegas joining the California teams in the Pacific Division, and the other 5 MT/PT teams forming the Mountain Division. Minnesota would go to the Central, and Oklahoma City would join the Southwest.

The new division-heavy schedule format would see all non-division matchups, even those between teams in the same conference, played just twice, once in each venue, and then teams in the 5-team divisions would play each other 7 times for 28 division games, and teams in the 6-team divisions 6 times for 30 division games. As it stands, I feel the NBA doesn't play enough division games compared to the other big 4 leagues. Even with a reduction in division games in MLB in 2023, each team would still be playing almost 35% of their schedule - more than a third - within their division.

With ABC having the rights to weekend afternoon games and CBS Saturday night games under my proposal, there can be an increase in the amount of Saturday night games on network TV. CBS can air games every Saturday night during the season except during March Madness, which takes precedence. 48 Hours would air a new episode at 8 PM ET before every CBS game, deferring the pregame and postgame shows to TNT (or TruTV during college football season if Turner snags a share of the Big 12 rights).

This could increase the amount of weekend afternoon games placed on ABC, based around the network's other sports commitments (no games on Saturdays during college football season, though on some Sundays they could go head-to-head with the NFL again based around other sports commitments).

 

[PCSPounder]

While it’s good to dream, what’s the reason for trying to spread broadcasts everywhere? I question whether people want to chase down every network for access. Most people certainly aren’t subscribing to every streaming service.

Peacock is tied to NBC, who will pay big bucks for Olympics, Notre Dame and Sunday Night Football, but the rest of their stuff is lower cost and they’re very likely not going to pay the kind of money that the NBA wants to see.

Since streaming services are either tied to current networks or to other major media delivery services, there will be more value in exclusivity than there is to split things up. It is said that “TV“ runs sports and those saying it are not wrong.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

While it’s good to dream, what’s the reason for trying to spread broadcasts everywhere? I question whether people want to chase down every network for access. Most people certainly aren’t subscribing to every streaming service.

Peacock is tied to NBC, who will pay big bucks for Olympics, Notre Dame and Sunday Night Football, but the rest of their stuff is lower cost and they’re very likely not going to pay the kind of money that the NBA wants to see.

Since streaming services are either tied to current networks or to other major media delivery services, there will be more value in exclusivity than there is to split things up. It is said that “TV“ runs sports and those saying it are not wrong.

Peacock has a big 4 league now with early Sunday MLB games on the service exclusively. Peacock will also have an exclusive NFL game starting in 2023. No reason Peacock can't have an exclusive package of NBA games to go along with all this.

 

[mouser]

I think the chance for CBS and Turner to expand their March Madness partnership to include the NBA is very enticing. Plus the NBA is very progressive which conflicts with the views of one of Fox's cable channels.

Don’t fool yourself. The NBA doesn’t have core political or value beliefs, they pick and choose their positions based on the market and money—aka it’s all about business.

The NBA takes a position in the USA because they believe it’s good for business. They don’t take a similar position in China because they know it’s clearly bad for business,

 

[doublejman]

I think the chance for CBS and Turner to expand their March Madness partnership to include the NBA is very enticing. Plus the NBA is very progressive which conflicts with the views of one of Fox's cable channels.

I will let you in a little secret, the number one goal for the next rights deal for the NBA is getting the most money. The NBA is a business, if Fox comes to the table with the most money they will get it.

 

[OG6ix]

I think for Fox it makes sense to go after the NBA - their talking head shows are like 75% NBA debates.

 

[PCSPounder]

Peacock has a big 4 league now with early Sunday MLB games on the service exclusively. Peacock will also have an exclusive NFL game starting in 2023. No reason Peacock can't have an exclusive package of NBA games to go along with all this.

Yes, there is a reason. Limited financial capacity.

This is discretionary spending. People are trying to cut down on it.

Networks are aware. They’ll offer a certain set of packages. But going whole hog means raising rates to the point where people start dropping.

The days in which subscribers of other stuff pay for sports are dwindling.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

I was listening to the latest Marchand and Ourand Sports Media podcast with respected media analyst Michael Nathanson on what they predict for 2025. They believe Amazon or Apple with get the third package with the incumbents Disney and Warner Bros Discovery staying on. I tend to agree with this, it’s gonna take a lot for NBC and CBS to get outbid them. Though I say if limited OTA regular season games including playoffs and maybe even Finals games in a competitive offer might have NBA cause. It will be interesting to see how the 3rd package will come about

 

[GKJ]

I was listening to the latest Marchand and Ourand Sports Media podcast with respected media analyst Michael Nathanson on what they predict for 2025. They believe Amazon or Apple with get the third package with the incumbents Disney and Warner Bros Discovery staying on. I tend to agree with this, it’s gonna take a lot for NBC and CBS to get outbid them. Though I say if limited OTA regular season games including playoffs and maybe even Finals games in a competitive offer might have NBA cause. It will be interesting to see how the 3rd package will come about

Strange that the NBA is the last one to the party for streaming-only games.