ESPN will have a conference final and the NBA Finals each season.

The NBA and network executives finalized contracts that will make NBC and Amazon Prime Video new partners, while maintaining ABC/ESPN as the home of the NBA Finals, under agreements that will extend for 11 seasons and be worth $76 billion, according to executives with direct knowledge of the deals.

While the NBA and its partner agreed to all the language, incumbent TNT Sports continues to threaten to match. The CEO of TNT Sports’ parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, has publicly stated he may attempt to use language in the current contract to remain involved with the NBA. If Zaslav goes through with that, he is expected to target Amazon’s package.

RIP Inside the NBA it was great while it lasted. Another great thing Zaslav has ruined.

  • TrippyFocusOPM
    3·
    4 months ago

    Some more info:

    Under the new NBA television deals with ESPN, NBC and Amazon Prime, the regular season would feature national telecasts nearly seven days a week, according to sources briefed on the agreements.

    The NBA will borrow a page from the NFL, as following the end of football’s regular season, NBC will have the NBA succeed the highest-rated primetime show on television, “Sunday Night Football,” while, on Thursdays, Amazon will do the same after its TNF coverage concludes.

    During the entire regular season, Amazon Prime Video is anticipated to have its other games streamed predominantly on Friday nights and Saturdays.

    NBC will have games throughout the full NBA season on Tuesdays. Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, is expected to have exclusive telecasts on Mondays. Peacock will also simulcast all the NBC games.

    ESPN will slightly cut down on the amount of regular-season games, going from around 100 now to the range of 80. During the NFL season, it will have its games on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, with its Saturday night game being its special ABC window. Later in the year, after the NFL, ESPN will have Friday night action, as well.

    All three platforms will have playoff games, while Amazon Prime Video will be the home of the In-Season Tournament. Amazon and NBC will alternate showing conference finals. ESPN will have a conference final and the NBA Finals each season.