NBA's new TV deal, maybe not smooth sailing

[Optimus_Steel]

I can see why the 300$ minimum price is a deal breaker for Apple. No way a package like that can make 2.5bn back.

NFL wanted $3.5 billion but wouldn't let them have local games, wouldn't let them stream internationally, and wouldn't let them include it for free with Apple TV + regular subscription.

https://www.theverge.com/2022/12/17/23513966/apple-nfl-sunday-ticket-negotiations-exit

"Just write the **** check" is what the NFL was essentially demanding.

Not that NFL is going to become more popular than soccer but kind of a dumb move not letting them stream internationally, potentially growing the popularity of the sport internationally like the NBA has, selling a lot of licensed merchandise.

Its as stupid as local blackouts. Where will next generation fans come from if they cant watch the local team? Not possible, but if it was it should be free for locals instead of blackouts

That was my point when I made that comment about the MLS taking away local team broadcast and putting it behind the MLS Apple TV streaming service for $10. You can't build the local fanbase that way, attract new local fans to the sport, the ones that potentially can attend your games in person and pay for tickets, food, merchandise, etc and get hooked for years. The NBA is potentially in the same issue with this archaic local blackout issue. There are a lot of markets in which the local NBA team is available only thru one cable provider (as cord cutting intensifies) or thru the Ballys service which is $20 a month... if you are not a previous hardcore fan you are not paying $20 to watch your local team...

[dhsilv2]

As a huge nba fan, I hope the nba does get screwed a bit on the TV deals. How many times have we heard the term load management during nationally televised games? These players and teams need a lesson that they can't screw the nba product continuously with 0 repercussions.

The fans are the drivers of this with fans refusing to place any value what so ever on the regular season. If fans want player to stop load managing, they have to start caring about the games the players are taking off.

Fans would care if players cared. You can see this clearly in All Star games in the NBA, the Pro Bowl in the NFL. Before "conference pride" was a thing. Now nobody cares about conferences.

Why is the greatest rivalry in the NBA Los Angeles vs Boston. It certainly isn't geographical, there is no reason for Boston fans to hate LA fans and vice versa. The players create the rivalry, it doesn't matter if the fans do not like another fanbase, if the players are still going to act nonchalant about the games.

I would also say there is a segment of the basketball fanbase that has diluted passion and intensity in the RS:
- "Its just a RS game who cares what happens before Xmas"
- "No one cares a game that happens in the regular season"
- "This game doesn't matter, as long as we are healthy for the playoffs"

I would also say that certain coaches (Greg Popovich) helped create this ambivalent attitude towards the regular season. Fans are not a part of the game, players are and fans interest is driven by the players intensity.....

Laker and Celtic fans are rivals. The players aren't. Maybe magic and bird were or west and russel, but those guys are retired. The FANS are still rivals. Same with the NFL with Steelers and Bengals fans. No, the fans drive rivalries, not players!

Pop saw the spurs become the highest winning percentage franchise in the NBA during the regular season. So that logic makes no sense.

Fans before christmas want to avoid idiots making knee jerk reactions about how good or bad a team is before then. Nobody is saying the teams shouldn't be working or trying, but it's too soon to judge. That's the whole point of "the season doesn't start until christmas".

And nobody has ever cared about the allstar game who was over 20. The allstar game was no more fun when Wade broke Kobe's nose or kobe broke wade's...whatever. The game sucks because it's two teams who are thrown together for a meaningless game.

Sorry but again NO! Fans drive interest here and it's 100% on fans.

[G35]

The fans are the drivers of this with fans refusing to place any value what so ever on the regular season. If fans want player to stop load managing, they have to start caring about the games the players are taking off.

Fans would care if players cared. You can see this clearly in All Star games in the NBA, the Pro Bowl in the NFL. Before "conference pride" was a thing. Now nobody cares about conferences.

Why is the greatest rivalry in the NBA Los Angeles vs Boston. It certainly isn't geographical, there is no reason for Boston fans to hate LA fans and vice versa. The players create the rivalry, it doesn't matter if the fans do not like another fanbase, if the players are still going to act nonchalant about the games.

I would also say there is a segment of the basketball fanbase that has diluted passion and intensity in the RS:
- "Its just a RS game who cares what happens before Xmas"
- "No one cares a game that happens in the regular season"
- "This game doesn't matter, as long as we are healthy for the playoffs"

I would also say that certain coaches (Greg Popovich) helped create this ambivalent attitude towards the regular season. Fans are not a part of the game, players are and fans interest is driven by the players intensity.....

Laker and Celtic fans are rivals. The players aren't. Maybe magic and bird were or west and russel, but those guys are retired. The FANS are still rivals. Same with the NFL with Steelers and Bengals fans. No, the fans drive rivalries, not players!

Pop saw the spurs become the highest winning percentage franchise in the NBA during the regular season. So that logic makes no sense.

Fans before christmas want to avoid idiots making knee jerk reactions about how good or bad a team is before then. Nobody is saying the teams shouldn't be working or trying, but it's too soon to judge. That's the whole point of "the season doesn't start until christmas".

And nobody has ever cared about the allstar game who was over 20. The allstar game was no more fun when Wade broke Kobe's nose or kobe broke wade's...whatever. The game sucks because it's two teams who are thrown together for a meaningless game.

Sorry but again NO! Fans drive interest here and it's 100% on fans.

No, I have been part of those rivalries. As a Dodger fan, Giants-Dodgers is a huge rivalry, but I've recently gone to games in Chavez Ravine and I live an hour from Oracle park. The rivalry is nothing like it was in the 70's, 80's or even 90's. It is a watered down version. Same thing being a Raider fan. We are rivals of our entire division. I lived in CO Springs for four years and on Mondays, after the weekend games, there were fights, especially if the Raiders won. I hated John Elway.

NBA games, Sixers and Celtics were actually bigger rivals than the Lakers-Celtics, (many younger fans do not realize that). Dr. J and Larry Bird actually threw blows at each other. Andrew Toney was known as the Boston Strangler.

Those days are long gone. First off, you can't just create a rivalry, there are requirements:
- both teams have to be relatively good
- it is a big help if teams are in the same division/conference
- have star players
- meet in the playoffs and both teams have to win; if one team always wins its not a rivalry e.g. the Knicks and Bulls are not a rivalry, that was one sided; Rockets vs Warriors is not a rivalry because the Rockets never won, its why Lebron never had a rivalry team in 10 years in the Eastern conference, his teams always won

Fans enhance rivalries, that is why home court advantage was called home court advantage.

Players create rivalries and it is clear about that. This is a softer, gentler, media created NBA that does not like something as gauche as a rivalry.....

[dhsilv2]

Fans would care if players cared. You can see this clearly in All Star games in the NBA, the Pro Bowl in the NFL. Before "conference pride" was a thing. Now nobody cares about conferences.

Why is the greatest rivalry in the NBA Los Angeles vs Boston. It certainly isn't geographical, there is no reason for Boston fans to hate LA fans and vice versa. The players create the rivalry, it doesn't matter if the fans do not like another fanbase, if the players are still going to act nonchalant about the games.

I would also say there is a segment of the basketball fanbase that has diluted passion and intensity in the RS:
- "Its just a RS game who cares what happens before Xmas"
- "No one cares a game that happens in the regular season"
- "This game doesn't matter, as long as we are healthy for the playoffs"

I would also say that certain coaches (Greg Popovich) helped create this ambivalent attitude towards the regular season. Fans are not a part of the game, players are and fans interest is driven by the players intensity.....

Laker and Celtic fans are rivals. The players aren't. Maybe magic and bird were or west and russel, but those guys are retired. The FANS are still rivals. Same with the NFL with Steelers and Bengals fans. No, the fans drive rivalries, not players!

Pop saw the spurs become the highest winning percentage franchise in the NBA during the regular season. So that logic makes no sense.

Fans before christmas want to avoid idiots making knee jerk reactions about how good or bad a team is before then. Nobody is saying the teams shouldn't be working or trying, but it's too soon to judge. That's the whole point of "the season doesn't start until christmas".

And nobody has ever cared about the allstar game who was over 20. The allstar game was no more fun when Wade broke Kobe's nose or kobe broke wade's...whatever. The game sucks because it's two teams who are thrown together for a meaningless game.

Sorry but again NO! Fans drive interest here and it's 100% on fans.

No, I have been part of those rivalries. As a Dodger fan, Giants-Dodgers is a huge rivalry, but I've recently gone to games in Chavez Ravine and I live an hour from Oracle park. The rivalry is nothing like it was in the 70's, 80's or even 90's. It is a watered down version. Same thing being a Raider fan. We are rivals of our entire division. I lived in CO Springs for four years and on Mondays, after the weekend games, there were fights, especially if the Raiders won. I hated John Elway.

NBA games, Sixers and Celtics were actually bigger rivals than the Lakers-Celtics, (many younger fans do not realize that). Dr. J and Larry Bird actually threw blows at each other. Andrew Toney was known as the Boston Strangler.

Those days are long gone. First off, you can't just create a rivalry, there are requirements:
- both teams have to be relatively good
- it is a big help if teams are in the same division/conference
- have star players
- meet in the playoffs and both teams have to win; if one team always wins its not a rivalry e.g. the Knicks and Bulls are not a rivalry, that was one sided; Rockets vs Warriors is not a rivalry because the Rockets never won, its why Lebron never had a rivalry team in 10 years in the Eastern conference, his teams always won

Fans enhance rivalries, that is why home court advantage was called home court advantage.

Players create rivalries and it is clear about that. This is a softer, gentler, media created NBA that does not like something as gauche as a rivalry.....

Total BS!

Again I already mentioned the bengals and steelers are a huge deal. You gonna tell me the bengals before last year were good? Cause trust me...nothing has changed there!

Yes these things change over time, fans change over time...

But thanks for the weird list of cities and places i've never heard of.

[G35]

Laker and Celtic fans are rivals. The players aren't. Maybe magic and bird were or west and russel, but those guys are retired. The FANS are still rivals. Same with the NFL with Steelers and Bengals fans. No, the fans drive rivalries, not players!

Pop saw the spurs become the highest winning percentage franchise in the NBA during the regular season. So that logic makes no sense.

Fans before christmas want to avoid idiots making knee jerk reactions about how good or bad a team is before then. Nobody is saying the teams shouldn't be working or trying, but it's too soon to judge. That's the whole point of "the season doesn't start until christmas".

And nobody has ever cared about the allstar game who was over 20. The allstar game was no more fun when Wade broke Kobe's nose or kobe broke wade's...whatever. The game sucks because it's two teams who are thrown together for a meaningless game.

Sorry but again NO! Fans drive interest here and it's 100% on fans.

No, I have been part of those rivalries. As a Dodger fan, Giants-Dodgers is a huge rivalry, but I've recently gone to games in Chavez Ravine and I live an hour from Oracle park. The rivalry is nothing like it was in the 70's, 80's or even 90's. It is a watered down version. Same thing being a Raider fan. We are rivals of our entire division. I lived in CO Springs for four years and on Mondays, after the weekend games, there were fights, especially if the Raiders won. I hated John Elway.

NBA games, Sixers and Celtics were actually bigger rivals than the Lakers-Celtics, (many younger fans do not realize that). Dr. J and Larry Bird actually threw blows at each other. Andrew Toney was known as the Boston Strangler.

Those days are long gone. First off, you can't just create a rivalry, there are requirements:
- both teams have to be relatively good
- it is a big help if teams are in the same division/conference
- have star players
- meet in the playoffs and both teams have to win; if one team always wins its not a rivalry e.g. the Knicks and Bulls are not a rivalry, that was one sided; Rockets vs Warriors is not a rivalry because the Rockets never won, its why Lebron never had a rivalry team in 10 years in the Eastern conference, his teams always won

Fans enhance rivalries, that is why home court advantage was called home court advantage.

Players create rivalries and it is clear about that. This is a softer, gentler, media created NBA that does not like something as gauche as a rivalry.....

Total BS!

Again I already mentioned the bengals and steelers are a huge deal. You gonna tell me the bengals before last year were good? Cause trust me...nothing has changed there!

Yes these things change over time, fans change over time...

But thanks for the weird list of cities and places i've never heard of.

You are pinning your argument on a rivalry between the Bengals and Steelers. Even by your admission you are saying the Bengals were not very good prior to last year. The Steelers are one of the HoF franchises in the NFL.

This is like the Laker vs Jazz. That is not a rivalry. Also, it has to recognized by other fans. Some matchups are so good and so intense that even fans of other teams will watch.

Maybe because you have limited of knowledge of sports cities, is why you feel the way you feel. I don't know, but there are no rivalries in the NBA right now. That is a byproduct of the corporate nature of sports now and the kumbaya between players.

You can't fake animosity.

The Isiah Pistons and the Jordan Bulls was a rivalry. Nobody has ever denied that. Its not a rivalry anymore, but back in the 80's it was big time. More recent rivalries were the Lakers and Spurs, Lakers and Kings (which was admittedly one sided, but Shaq helped instigate with his "Sacramento Queens" and Phil Jackson talking about cowbells...but you probably haven't heard of this one either), Mavericks and Spurs, Spurs and Suns in the 2000's but the Spurs made that one sided as well.

The closest you can get nowadays was the Cavaliers and Warriors but since Draymond is a Klutch client...and the Warriors dominated the last two matchups in the finals, it was short lived. Do you really think anyone from the Bay Area is upset with Cavalier fans?

I would say the biggest rivalry in the NBA right now is Barkley vs women from San Antonio.....

[wco81]

Not specific to the looming network TV contract renewals with ABC/ESPN and TNT but potentially significant adverse impact for revenues of some NBA teams.

Read on Twitter

?s=20&t=4Ed9OeIkIyLWDEZZcPHx7g

[wco81]

Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, said in interview that NBA contract is very valuable to his company and renewing the TV deal is a priority.

He said the NBA offers volume and quality for ESPN/Disney. Incidentally he said Disney won’t sell ESPN as speculated.

That’s not to say he’s going to give the NBA exactly how much they’re asking but the talk that ESPN might walk away is bunk.

He also said it’s inevitable that all sports will move to streaming as the main form of distribution.

So that means they probably expect to get streaming rights in the TV deal, not let the NBA sell off streaming rights to some tech company.


Who knows, he’s influenced by all these recent big trades and all the drama and attention the NBA generates. ESPN is going to hype the NBA to hell after the Super Bowl because of these trades. It’s Thursday before the Super Bowl and Get Up is only talking about the NBA this morning, not the NFL at all. First Take will probably be the same.

[Lalouie]

sitting stars out is affecting EVERYTHING, and teams/coaches won't roll it back. it's part of the landscape now

[wco81]

Doesn't sound like Disney cares. NBA provides so many hours of programming for them that they need it, because the NHL and MLB aren't as attractive and the NFL is only 17 games a season, though now ESPN will get the Super Bowl.

ABC will be showcasing big match ups on Saturdays now until the end of the season.

They will probably try to get more Suns games on ESPN now.

[iqureshi]

NBA has began to offer a worse product a few years back. Maybe the kids like it, but its too far from the product that was prevalent for decades before. Plus some large markets are appearing to enter long period of futility ( lakers/Chicago/ Whatever the knicks do). Though there are great players, there isn't a very likeable star to market the league off of. Gone or fading are Jordan/kobe/Shaq/Lebron/Curry. Giannis/Joker/Luka are nice but they are not charismatic enough to be the face of the league, and bring or even maintain old viewers.

League isn't going to get its 75 million.

[wco81]

NBC, which used to own rights to national NBA games broadcasts, has signaled interest in acquiring rights again, when the NBA TV meals expire after the 2024 and 2025 season.

Apple and Amazon have already expressed interest.

NBC Sports is considering bidding to win back NBA rights after more than 20 years without them.

The NBA can’t begin formal negotiations with companies other than Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney before April 2024 unless they waive their exclusive negotiation rights.

Disney is expected to bid on the NBA to keep games on ESPN and ABC.

Apple and Amazon have already expressed interest in buying rights to the NBA, sources said.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/13/nbc-sports-prepared-to-make-nba-bid.html

Ratings are flat but the linear TV business (broadcast, cable, satellite) are losing subscribers as cord cutting still continues. So maintaining the same number of viewers is in a way a kind of growth since cable TV subscribers are decreasing.

Meanwhile, streaming is bigger so the potential for richer tech companies to come and big up rights is there.

But disagreement on how much more TV money the NBA could get in the new deal:

It’s too early to say how much the NBA will be able to increase revenue from its new TV deal, but initial suggestions of a 200% increase from about $25 billion to more than $70 billion over nine years are probably too optimistic, according to people familiar with the matter. An annual increase closer to 100% may be more likely, given secular declines in the linear pay TV and streaming businesses that are still losing billions of dollars each year, two of the people said.

[gottamakeit]

https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2023/02/21/what-will-nba-do-if-bally-sports-goes-bankrupt-commissioner-adam-silver-talks-tv-concerns/

“Short-term, I’m not all that concerned,” Silver said. “It largely affects the regular season for the NBA in terms of distributing, delivering those games directly to our consumers. And if they were to indeed, you know, file for bankruptcy, there won’t be that much of the regular season left.

“For that period of time, we will have in place arrangements, if necessary, to continue to distribute those games to fans. So I think that’s what’s most important.”

Silver referenced “local over-the-air television” channels and streaming services as potential fallback options should bankruptcy interrupt Bally Sports coverage.

“In the mid-term, it’s an issue we’re going to have to work through,” Silver said. “We’ve been in extensive discussions with Diamond, the company you’re referring to, about a potential restructuring, and I’m fairly optimistic we’ll be able to work something out with them.

“As I said, if we can’t, we will make sure we have a system in place for delivering those games to fans.”

[wco81]

The new TV deal negotiations are a HUGE FACTOR right now. NBA got the new CBA behind them so the next big thing is the new TV deal, where they want to triple the money they're getting on this current deal, which runs one or two more seasons.

It's almost existential for the league, which is why Silver is pushing this midseason tournament and complaining about load management, as stars are rested for marquee national TV games.

Did you notice that TNT and ESPN both are pushing the NHL playoffs at the same time? After game 5 of Lakers/Warriors, SportsCenter featured the NHL playoffs game, I think it was Edmonton vs. Las Vegas that night, over the Lakers vs. Warriors for the first block, like 10 minutes.

That is ESPN/ABC gamesmanship.

Here's the other thing. NFL released a schedule for the upcoming season. They will feature THREE games on Christmas Day.

NBA used to have Christmas Day as a big showcase. Now the NFL is encroaching on that and they may probably get higher ratings than the NBA games on Christmas this year.

ABC is going to broadcast the Ravens at 49ers at 8:15 ET. ABC will probably feature an NBA game earlier that day. Then ESPN and TNT will show other NBA games on Christmas.

Those other games are probably going to compete against NFL games, which are Raiders at Chiefs at 1 PM EST and Giants at Eagles at 4:30 PM EST.

NBA may be forced to put their other games very early on Christmas or very late. Or maybe they give up on Christmas Day games.


In any event, the TV deal will be EVERYTHING to the league. If they don't get a big bump, that will affect salaries and probably expansion.

That is why NBA wants Lebron to win and the Lakers to win it all this year. They need to offer the networks the LA market delivering huge ratings.

[Dominator83]

Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, said in interview that NBA contract is very valuable to his company and renewing the TV deal is a priority.

He said the NBA offers volume and quality for ESPN/Disney. Incidentally he said Disney won’t sell ESPN as speculated.

That’s not to say he’s going to give the NBA exactly how much they’re asking but the talk that ESPN might walk away is bunk.

He also said it’s inevitable that all sports will move to streaming as the main form of distribution.

So that means they probably expect to get streaming rights in the TV deal, not let the NBA sell off streaming rights to some tech company.


Who knows, he’s influenced by all these recent big trades and all the drama and attention the NBA generates. ESPN is going to hype the NBA to hell after the Super Bowl because of these trades. It’s Thursday before the Super Bowl and Get Up is only talking about the NBA this morning, not the NFL at all. First Take will probably be the same.

That explains why their stock has been stagnant for 9 years. Despite the launch of Disney +

[Godymas]

these network execs are dumb as hell. The NBA will just cut a deal with YT TV like the NFL. The dinosaurs will go extinct.

[SpreeChokeJob]

these network execs are dumb as hell. The NBA will just cut a deal with YT TV like the NFL. The dinosaurs will go extinct.

A lot of these media companies are getting told to cut costs. Google isn’t immune, that’s why NBA is going full court press in contract year. They are trying to sucker a media company GM into committing big money to a contract. There’s always one dumb GM to sign a contract but they may be out a job if they do. The timing isn’t ideal with the high costs of borrowing money. And a media company has to be crazy to commit big money. What is the NBA going to sell in the future. Bronny James? lol

[wco81]

Now Apple, Netflix and Fox are said to be interested in bidding.

NBA may be trying to offer several packages including streaming rights and maybe international rights.

While regular season NBA ratings were flat, viewership for the playoffs has been the highest in years, and live sports are almost single handedly keeping the cable-TV business alive. With the NFL, MLB and NHL having already renewed their media contracts, the NBA is the last major US sports deal up for grabs for years to come.

This time around, the league is expected to sell its rights to more than two companies. It could carve out games for a streaming service that include international rights or, perhaps, games that previously aired on the beleaguered regional sports networks, according to a person familiar with the league’s thinking.

To reach as many fans as possible, the league wants more games to be shown on free broadcast stations, such as ABC, NBC, Fox or CBS. And when games do appear on cable channels, which are rapidly losing subscribers, the league will likely want to air those contests on streaming services simultaneously in order to pull in additional viewers.

Last month at the CAA World Congress of Sports conference, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the next go-round will “most likely be some sort of hybrid,” mixing broadcast, cable and streaming options.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-05-28/apple-fox-netflix-emerge-as-potential-bidders-for-future-nba-rights

[Lockdown504090]

Now Apple, Netflix and Fox are said to be interested in bidding.

NBA may be trying to offer several packages including streaming rights and maybe international rights.

While regular season NBA ratings were flat, viewership for the playoffs has been the highest in years, and live sports are almost single handedly keeping the cable-TV business alive. With the NFL, MLB and NHL having already renewed their media contracts, the NBA is the last major US sports deal up for grabs for years to come.

This time around, the league is expected to sell its rights to more than two companies. It could carve out games for a streaming service that include international rights or, perhaps, games that previously aired on the beleaguered regional sports networks, according to a person familiar with the league’s thinking.

To reach as many fans as possible, the league wants more games to be shown on free broadcast stations, such as ABC, NBC, Fox or CBS. And when games do appear on cable channels, which are rapidly losing subscribers, the league will likely want to air those contests on streaming services simultaneously in order to pull in additional viewers.

Last month at the CAA World Congress of Sports conference, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the next go-round will “most likely be some sort of hybrid,” mixing broadcast, cable and streaming options.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-05-28/apple-fox-netflix-emerge-as-potential-bidders-for-future-nba-rights

please dear god, let this happen. im tired of this 720p bs. why are nba games streaming at the same quality of kim K's sextape?

[wco81]

So a new wrinkle, Disney has invited the NBA as well as all the other sports leagues to discuss and negotiate equity stakes in ESPN.

Rather than offer more TV money for the next NBA contract, Disney CEO Iger is offering to become partners with them.

Will this affect what kind of contract the NBA is able to secure? If NBA becomes one of the partners owning ESPN, what happens to the deal with TNT and potential other TV networks and streaming services which were said to be interested in bidding for the NBA TV rights?

ESPN and TNT have exclusive windows to negotiate a new deal with the NBA for about a year, maybe less. Then the NBA could negotiate with other networks and streaming services.

[Bobbymcgee]

Apple is buying the televised rights to the NBA to complement their Steph Curry documentary.