Inside the NBA’s New Media Deal: What It Means and Why It Matters

Several changes have swept the NBA as the kickoff of the 2025-26 season approaches. From guard Tyrese Haliburton’s achilles tear to forward Cooper Flagg joining the Mavericks, along with new rookie sensations and blockbuster trades, the league is entering a season full of compelling storylines. Yet, despite all this excitement, many fans are struggling to follow how these narratives unfold as the NBA’s new $76 billion media rights deal takes effect. This deal shifts the NBA’s position on streaming and global reach, consequently raising questions regarding whether the league is prioritizing profit or its fans. 

The NBA announced the renewal of its media deal with The Walt Disney Company, along with new agreements with NBC Universal and Amazon Prime Video, spanning the 2025-26 season through to the 2035-36 season, on July 24, 2024. The deal brings back NBA games to NBC for the first time since the iconic “NBA on NBC” era of the 1990s and early 2000s. “The NBA on NBC was a meaningful part of my career, and I’m excited about being a special contributor to the project. I’m looking forward to seeing you all when the NBA on NBC launches this October,” six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan said. The league has also expanded into streaming through Amazon Prime Video, while ESPN and ABC continue to serve as the primary streaming platforms. 

Prior to the deal, Turner Sports (TNT) had served as the NBA’s primary cable home since 1989, giving the league a consistent national presence beyond broadcast networks; TNT was regarded as the central platform for NBA-related content. However, the new media deal ended TNT’s tenure as an NBA broadcaster. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), TNT’s parent company, attempted to match Amazon’s bid, but the NBA rejected the offer. WBD then filed a lawsuit, claiming the league unfairly rejected its attempt to match Amazon’s offer. WBD argued that the NBA violated their contractual “matching rights” rule by not accepting the bid. The NBA, however, argued that WBD’s offer did not align with Amazon’s exclusive streaming deal and broader reach through Prime Video. The lawsuit was eventually settled in November 2024, officially ending TNT’s rights to broadcast live NBA games. WBD may still license its popular studio show Inside the NBA, but analysts estimate that the company would still lose around $600 million in annual profit.

At this point, many question why the NBA was so eagerly willing to end its long-standing partnership with TNT. The answer mainly comes down to revenue. The deal secures $6.9 billion in annual revenue for the NBA—the highest the league has ever achieved—which would allow the league to raise the salary cap by an average of 10 percent per team. This gives teams more flexibility in trades and signings while also helping stabilize the league’s overall economy, although many fans argue that it limits player movement. Unlike the NFL, where the departure of a single player rarely affects a team’s competitiveness, NBA rosters are small enough that losing even one star can have a dramatic impact, making fans worry that large contracts reduce competitiveness.

Beyond the financial benefits, the deal is designed to expand the NBA’s global reach through Amazon’s international streaming platform. This represents a major step forward for the league’s growth; with this deal, the NBA positions itself to compete on a larger stage, analogous to the NFL’s own successful media rights deals. 

Despite the potential for growth and revenue, this deal raises notable concerns for fans. Viewers must now purchase multiple subscriptions to watch regular season games, creating a major accessibility issue. Unlike attending games in person, which only a few can do regularly, watching on TV is the only way to stay connected. With games spread out across five different streaming services on multiple platforms, it becomes harder for the average fan to remain engaged with the league. For instance, ESPN+ alone costs $29.99 a month; this is only one of the necessary services, meaning a typical fan may expect to spend over $100 monthly to follow all the games. “I think the NBA’s got a big problem,” former basketball player Charles Barkley said. “ Especially when they start putting games on. Sometimes the game’s gonna be on Peacock. And it’s not gonna be on NBC. I think that’s a huge dilemma for the NBA.”

The NBA’s media deal strengthens the league financially, giving teams more flexibility and supporting long-term growth. At the same time, fans face higher costs and changes in accessibility, which could affect engagement and viewership depending on how the league addresses these concerns. Ultimately, the deal marks a pivotal moment in the league’s evolution, balancing revenue growth with fan engagement. While challenges remain, fans can still follow every game—with a little planning and a few hundred-dollar subscriptions. 

The 2025-26 NBA season watch guide is as follows:

• Sunday: ABC, NBC, Peacock
• Monday: Peacock
• Tuesday: NBC, Peacock
• Wednesday: ESPN
• Thursday: Prime
• Friday: Prime, ESPN
• Saturday: Prime, ABC