Posted in: Amazon Studios, Max, NBA, NBC, Sports, TV | Tagged: amazon, espn, max, nba, nbc, tnt

NBA Rights Deal Report: Warner Bros. Discovery Matching Amazon Offer

Reports are that Warner Bros. Discovery plans on exercising its right to match Amazon Prime Video's offer for NBA broadcasting rights.

Last week, Andrew Marchand from The Athletic/The New York Times reported that 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. On Tuesday night, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver confirmed that the League had approved "this stage of those media proposals." But wait – it's not over yet! "As you know, there are other rights that need to be worked through with existing partners. I will say in advance there will be a fair amount I won't be able to discuss yet about those media deals because they haven't been finalized," Silver added. What he's most likely referring to is how CEO David Zaslav's Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has five days to either match the offers that are in front of them or take a pass. If WBD were to pass (you never know), the NBA, NBC, Prime Video, and ESPN have a chance to formally announce the news and enjoy some headline attention before NBC's Summer Olympics coverage kicks off. Well, it looks like WBD will be looking to match one of the deals…

In a report from Deadline Hollywood from earlier today, sources say that WBD is eyeing the offer from Amazon – one that's reportedly around $1.8 billion (the least expensive of the ones proposed). It's not clear if that five-day countdown is underway, with Silver adding during his press conference, "I can't get into how those machinations work." Zaslav had previously gone on record as expressing a willingness to match the offers that the NBA received, with WBD's legal team reportedly going through the existing contract for any language that could keep the company in the hunt for broadcast rights – including a smaller carved-out rights package.

Though both the NBA and TNT Sports declined to comment on Marchand's 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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