Posted in: Amazon Studios, Max, NBA, Sports, TNT, TV | Tagged: amazon, max, nba, prime video, tnt, warner bros discovery

NBA Rejects Warner's Efforts to Match Amazon; Announces New Deals

The NBA confirmed in a statement that the league has rejected Warner Bros. Discovery's efforts to match Amazon Prime Video's rights deal.

UPDATE: For their part, the NBA is moving forward – here's a look at the league statement announcing the new 11-year deals with The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, and Amazon Prime Video through the 2035-36 season and sharing specific details on each of the deals.

ORIGINAL REPORT: In 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav noted to investors that WBD didn't "have to have the NBA" to have a successful sports package. Well, close to two years later, Zaslav might just get the chance to defend those words to those very same investors. Earlier today, the NBA confirmed that it had declined WBDs's attempt to match the offer on the table from Amazon Prime Video – the least expensive one, estimated at $1.8 billion. "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," shared the NBA in a statement (WBD's TNT Sports had not issued a statement at the time of this writing).

Previously, NBCUniversal, Amazon's Prime Video, and Disney/ESPN were close to finalizing their respective NBA broadcasting rights deals, which could reportedly be (according to sources) for 11 seasons and worth $76 billion (beginning after the 2024-2025 season). Originally, the NBA, NBC, Prime Video, and ESPN were hoping to formally announce the news and enjoy some headline attention heading into NBC's Summer Olympics coverage kicks off – but that would've only been possible if WBD declined to match any of the offers. What happens from here? This thing could go to court, with WBD needing to argue that the NBA denied them their legal right to match the terms of any deals actively in play.

Based on the original reporting, the three new deals (if approved) would see the NBA spotlighted in national telecasts nearly seven days a week. In terms of when games will air, Prime Video is expected to shift its Thursday focus to the NBA after the "Thursday Night Football" season and will also air games predominantly on Friday nights and Saturdays. The same idea is in play with NBC, with Sunday nights shifting to the NBA after the "Sunday Night Football" season and Tuesdays earmarked for games. NBCUniversal streaming service Peacock is eyeing exclusive games on Mondays (and simulcasting all of NBC's games).

As for ESPN, it would see the number of regular-season games it airs drop "from around 100 now to the range of 80," according to the report. During the NFL season, ESPN will air games on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays (with its Saturday night game part of a special ABC window) – adding Friday to the lineup after the NFL season wraps. NBC, Prime Video, and ESPN would all have a piece of the playoff pie. Prime Video would stream the In-Season Tournament and alternate with NBC for the conference finals. ESPN would have a conference final and the NBA Finals during each season of the deal.

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