NBA signs media rights deal with Disney, NBC and Amazon; TNT enters final season

The NBA announced Warner Bros. Discovery’s latest offer did not match Amazon Prime Video, setting up the final season of Turner Sports’ “NBA on TNT” and Emmy-winning show “Inside the NBA.”

The league signed an 11-year media rights deal worth $76 billion with The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal and Amazon that runs from the 2025-26 season through the 2035-36 season.

Games will air on ABC, ESPN, NBC, Peacock and Prime Video.

“Throughout these negotiations, our primary objective has been to maximize the reach and accessibility of our games for our fans,” the NBA said in a statement. “Our new arrangement with Amazon supports this goal by complementing the broadcast, cable and streaming packages that are already part of our new Disney and NBCUniversal arrangements.

“We are grateful to Turner Sports for its award-winning coverage of the NBA and look forward to another season of the NBA on TNT.”

Disney, NBC and Amazon also bought rights to show WNBA games.

Turner has had an NBA package since 1984 and games have been on TNT since the network launched in 1988. Inside the NBA — hosted by Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal — has been a staple program for basketball fans during the regular season and playoffs that was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame.

Warner Bros. Discovery informed the league Monday that it would match the $1.8 billion per year offer by Amazon Prime Video. The issue with the WBD offer essentially came down to streaming, and that it didn’t meet everything that Amazon was offering.

“Warner Bros. Discovery’s most recent proposal did not match the terms of Amazon Prime Video’s offer and, therefore, we have entered into a long-term arrangement with Amazon,” the league said.

Turner Sports strongly disagreed with the NBA’s move, saying it believes the league “grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights.”

“We have matched the Amazon offer, as we have a contractual right to do, and do not believe the NBA can reject it,” Tuner Sports said in a statement. “In doing so, they are rejecting the many fans who continue to show their unwavering support for our best-in-class coverage, delivered through the full combined reach of WBD’s video-first distribution platforms. … We will take appropriate action.”

TNT Sports’ statement on NBA media rights: pic.twitter.com/9L3fiFXoDH

— TNT Sports U.S. PR (@TNTSportsUS) July 24, 2024

Where can I watch NBA games starting in 2025-26?

Disney will distribute 80 NBA games during the regular season each year, including all five games on Christmas Day. ESPN and ABC will telecast approximately 18 games over the first two rounds of the playoffs each year and one of the two Conference Finals in 10 of the 11 years of the deal.

ABC will continue to host the NBA Finals.

NBC will show up to 100 NBA regular-season games each year, including the opening night doubleheader.

It will telecast the NBA All-Star Game each year, along with All-Star Saturday Night. NBC and/or Peacock will show approximately 28 games in the opening two rounds of the playoffs, and NBC will telecast the other Conference Finals series in six of the 11 years on a rotating basis with Amazon.

The return of NBC, which carried NBA games from 1990 through 2002, gives the league two broadcast network partners for the first time.

It also marks the return of NBC’s iconic song.

🗣 TURN IT UP. I LOVE THIS SONG!

The NBA is coming back – Fall 2025 on NBC and Peacock. pic.twitter.com/xz6hOVbpZE

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 24, 2024

Amazon will show 66 NBA regular-season games on Prime Video, plus the title game of the NBA Cup. Amazon will distribute each of the NBA Play-In Tournament games and one-third of the first and second rounds each year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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