The NBA’s negotiations with ESPN and TNT have come to an end, giving the incumbents the opportunity to match any new deal that the league may strike with a third party. According to sources, if the NBA decides to bring in a new streaming partner like Amazon or NBC/Peacock, ESPN or TNT would have the right to match that deal. Similarly, if another company were to attempt to take over an existing linear TV deal held by ESPN or TNT, those incumbents would also have the right to match that deal.
Despite no formal agreement being reached before the negotiating window closed, discussions are still ongoing between the NBA and Disney/Warner Bros. Discovery regarding their media deals. Beforehand, reports indicated that both sides were close to reaching a new agreement, with both being 75% of the way there when the period opened last month.
The NBA is looking to potentially alter its media delivery strategy in new deals, which could involve partnerships with streaming services or changes to existing TV deals. The league’s highly coveted media rights are expected to have a significant impact on how fans consume NBA games in the future.
