Amazon getting in on new NBA TV Contract/New NBA TV Deals

[Donoghus]

Knew this day was coming sooner rather than later

Sounds like ESPN/ABC is gonna re-up and we might be having an NBC v. TNT showdown for the 3rd package.

https://awfulannouncing.com/amazon/prime-video-nba-broadcast-agreement.html

[Celtics2021]

Rooting for NBC if this means Peacock will carry their RSN games as part of a subscription, which has been talked about.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I only want NBC to return just for the return of "Roundball Rock" by John Tesh. NBA playoffs without it has not been the same, that always put me in the mood.

And if they get it, and they don't return with "Roundball Rock", they can go burn in hell.

[SparzWizard]

I only want NBC to return just for the return of "Roundball Rock" by John Tesh. NBA playoffs without it has not been the same, that always put me in the mood.

And if they get it, and they don't return with "Roundball Rock", they can go burn in hell.

Ditto! Those Jordan Finals days haha

[jambr380]

So games are just going to be on Amazon Prime like they already are on ESPN and TNT? I don't have Amazon, so this isn't great for me. Guess I'll be rooting for NBC over TNT

[Big333223]

I just want a legit streaming option so I can watch games without have to pay for a whole live TV or cable package. Amazon having regular games that aren't blacked out by location would be awesome.

[Moranis]

I just want a legit streaming option so I can watch games without have to pay for a whole live TV or cable package. Amazon having regular games that aren't blacked out by location would be awesome.

It is supposedly coming and maybe as early as this NFL season.  Haven't heard an update in a bit, but a couple months ago espn, Fox and Warner Brothers (i.e. tbs, tnt) announced they were working on a sports streaming platform for all 3 of their family of networks.  Makes so much sense if they do it right and don't charge an absorbant amount.

[Donoghus]

So games are just going to be on Amazon Prime like they already are on ESPN and TNT? I don't have Amazon, so this isn't great for me. Guess I'll be rooting
 for NBC over TNT

No. They’re just going to reduce the number of regular season games on cable TV and supplement with the Amazon streams in additional to steaming some playoff games.

ESPN/ABC will still be broadcasting games and a 3rd package of games with either end up at TNT or NBC.  NBA just decided to bring in a third partner on this new package. 

[Birdman]

Pretty soon all 4 major sports will be on Amazon, Apple or another and no more NBC, ABC,  & CBS

[GreenEnvy]

Going to be hard to justify paying full price for the League Pass when more than half of Celtics games can be watched on ESPN/TNT/ABC/NBATV/NBC/and now Prime.

[Big333223]

So games are just going to be on Amazon Prime like they already are on ESPN and TNT? I don't have Amazon, so this isn't great for me. Guess I'll be rooting
 for NBC over TNT

No. They’re just going to reduce the number of regular season games on cable TV and supplement with the Amazon streams in additional to steaming some playoff games.

ESPN/ABC will still be broadcasting games and a 3rd package of games with either end up at TNT or NBC.  NBA just decided to bring in a third partner on this new package.

I was shocked to see the Max (HBO) was carrying all of the TNT games this year. That was great for me. But if Amazon has regular games, that would be even better.

[SparzWizard]

Does that mean Amazon Prime is going to be lagging when I watch games there? Even those NFL Thursday Night Amazon Prime games I feel that Amazon bandwidth isn't strong enough to support despite having 500 MBPS fiberoptic connection. It would take forever to load to get to watch.

Also is NBC going to absorb "Inside the NBA" crew cuz I'll miss seeing Shaq, EJ, Kenny Smith, and Barkley clowning each other around if they're left in the dust. They're more entertaining than ESPN folks. I'd be on board if they reuse the John Tesh music, brings back the old days. They should just squeeze out ESPN they garbage and hate Boston sports.

[Donoghus]

Does that mean Amazon Prime is going to be lagging when I watch games there? Even those NFL Thursday Night Amazon Prime games I feel that Amazon bandwidth isn't strong enough to support despite having 500 MBPS fiberoptic connection. It would take forever to load to get to watch.

Also is NBC going to absorb "Inside the NBA" crew cuz I'll miss seeing Shaq, EJ, Kenny Smith, and Barkley clowning each other around if they're left in the dust. They're more entertaining than ESPN folks. I'd be on board if they reuse the John Tesh music, brings back the old days. They should just squeeze out ESPN they garbage and hate Boston sports.

. 

The speculation I’m reading is that there is a really good chance that TNT loses the NBA to NBC and decent chance that the NBA on TNT crew would end up on the Amazon package.

A decent scenario since you’d keep the TNT crew & also get “Roundball Rock” back.

My ideal scenario would be ESPN/ABC getting junked but that’s not happening.

[gift]

Does that mean Amazon Prime is going to be lagging when I watch games there? Even those NFL Thursday Night Amazon Prime games I feel that Amazon bandwidth isn't strong enough to support despite having 500 MBPS fiberoptic connection. It would take forever to load to get to watch.

Also is NBC going to absorb "Inside the NBA" crew cuz I'll miss seeing Shaq, EJ, Kenny Smith, and Barkley clowning each other around if they're left in the dust. They're more entertaining than ESPN folks. I'd be on board if they reuse the John Tesh music, brings back the old days. They should just squeeze out ESPN they garbage and hate Boston sports.

. 

The speculation I’m reading is that there is a really good chance that TNT loses the NBA to NBC and decent chance that the NBA on TNT crew would end up on the Amazon package.

A decent scenario since you’d keep the TNT crew & also get “Roundball Rock” back.

My ideal scenario would be ESPN/ABC getting junked but that’s not happening.

as far as basketball-adjacent traditions go, the TNT crew and Roundball Rock are worth keeping beyond all the other dictatorial circumstances that might allow/disallow them.

[Donoghus]

Update on the WBD/NBA dispute.  Looks like we have a "settlement" for lack of a better term.

The National Basketball Association and Warner Bros. Discovery have reached an agreement that will extend their long-standing media partnership an additional 11 years. Per the terms of the agreement, the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery will expand their business partnership including several components that will promote NBA content and accelerate the global growth and reach of TNT Sports and its leading sports digital brands Bleacher Report and House of Highlights. The deal also includes a reimagined and enhanced NBA Digital partnership between the NBA and TNT Sports and a full package of live game rights in a number of territories outside the U.S., strengthening WBD?s global portfolio.

In addition, WBD and the NBA have resolved all disputes relating to the NBA?s recent media agreements.

TNT Sports and its portfolio of brands will receive a global license to create, produce and distribute new and existing NBA content across its platforms. The agreement includes expanded global content and highlight rights for TNT Sports, Bleacher Report and House of Highlights, with the ability to produce and distribute NBA content across the WBD portfolio, along with meaningful promotion, sales and creative commitments across both NBA and WBD platforms.

Concurrent with this agreement, WBD and ESPN have agreed to enter an innovative partnership. TNT Sports will continue to fully create and produce Inside the NBA, with its iconic studio show being distributed on ESPN and ABC. Beginning with the 2025-26 season, Inside the NBA, the recipient of 21 Emmy Awards, will air on ESPN and ABC throughout the regular season and NBA Playoffs. TNT Sports will also continue to develop new content for air on its WBD platforms featuring TNT?s Inside the NBA studio talent including innovative programs such as an ?Inside Sports? show currently in development for next season.

Associated with the agreement between WBD and ESPN, TNT Sports will now televise an exclusive slate of Big 12 football (13 games each season) and men?s basketball (15 games each season) starting with the 2025 season. This builds on TNT Sports? agreement with ESPN to present the College Football Playoffs with TNT showcasing a pair of First Round games beginning this December.

Additionally, WBD has been granted live NBA game telecast rights in the Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden), along with Poland and Latin America (excluding Brazil and Mexico) for the next 11 years. In connection with this live game telecast package, WBD will provide broad reach, local language commentary and promotional opportunities for the NBA?s marketing partners.

?Together these agreements ensure fans will continue to enjoy TNT?s Inside the NBA and create tremendous value for our entire portfolio as we accelerate the growth of TNT Sports, Bleacher Report, House of Highlights and our global sports business,? said David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. ?We are pleased to partner with the NBA and Disney/ESPN, and to have solidified long-term rights and revenue for WBD.?

?The opportunity to continue the iconic and Emmy Award-winning Inside the NBA is a huge win for basketball fans everywhere,? said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. ?We look forward to building on our longstanding partnership with TNT Sports and working together to promote NBA content across key WBD and NBA platforms.?

WBD?s agreement with the NBA also includes a shared commitment to accelerate the global growth of Bleacher Report and House of Highlights ? the top digital destinations for highly-engaged, young sport fans ? through a new global license that includes expansive content and highlight rights, as well as game access to produce NBA-related content. Bleacher Report and House of Highlights receive widespread promotion across NBA assets, and the NBA will create a section of its digital products (e.g. the NBA App and NBA.com) that will feature basketball-related content produced by B/R, HoH and TNT Sports.

The agreement also reimagines and continues the NBA Digital partnership between the NBA and TNT Sports for five seasons, under which the NBA can engage WBD to provide promotion and a variety of services, including production, content development and sales operations services. WBD will also be a strategic promotional partner for NBA League Pass and, through promotion on B/R, HoH and other WBD digital platforms, help accelerate League Pass subscriber acquisition. In addition, advertising for NBA properties and initiatives will run on WBD linear channels and digital platforms.

TNT Sports, which has been a national rightsholder with the NBA since 1984, has garnered more than 190 Sports Emmy nominations and 45 wins for its NBA coverage. TNT Sports and the NBA have jointly managed NBA Digital, the league?s collection of media assets, since 2009.