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Tor_Raps wrote:
I thought with all the load management and cord cutting that they'd be in trouble this go around. Crazy
DatHomieYouHaTe wrote:Tor_Raps wrote:Just keep Inside the NBA intact wherever they'd have to go and I'll be cool. That show is bigger than some nba games itself lol
I don't think they care if you are cool with it.. Money talks and at least we get the NBA on NBC theme music back so that's a win.. That Inside the NBA was cool at the start but got lame over time. All things come to an end
Chalky_White wrote:DatHomieYouHaTe wrote:Tor_Raps wrote:Just keep Inside the NBA intact wherever they'd have to go and I'll be cool. That show is bigger than some nba games itself lol
I don't think they care if you are cool with it.. Money talks and at least we get the NBA on NBC theme music back so that's a win.. That Inside the NBA was cool at the start but got lame over time. All things come to an end
90% of the show's viral moments are due to Barkley. Hoping either NBC or Amazon bring him on and run their show similar to TNT in how the guys are given enough time to actually talk and analyze. As opposed to ESPN where their show is 90% commercials and 30sec speed talking.
The NBA is formalizing written contracts with Disney, NBC and Amazon this week, with sources calling it the final stage of media rights negotiations that may inevitably lead incumbent Warner Bros. Discovery to take legal action.
Industry sources believe ESPN will ultimately pay $2.8B annually -- up from a reported $2.6B -- for the league's "A" package, which includes the NBA Finals, a conference final, weekly primetime games, the WNBA and likely shared international rights. NBC's proposed "B" package is believed to be now worth $2.6B annually -- up from a reported $2.5B -- and would probably include a "Basketball Night in America" on Sunday nights following the NFL season, a total of two primetime windows a week, conference semifinals and a conference final. Amazon's deal is believed to be worth between $1.8B and $2B and would likely include the Emirates In-Season Tournament, the SoFi Play-In Tournament, first-round playoff games, the WNBA and international rights.
The final tweaks -- which sources said have been fluid and changing almost every other day -- are expected to be finalized in the coming days or week, at which time sources said all three networks will go to their respective boards to have the written bids ratified. At that point, sources said the league will take NBC's contract to WBD to see if WBD CEO David Zaslav is able to match it in "total value."
Considering WBD is $40B in debt and does not have the over-the-air infrastructure of NBC, sources believe WBD would need to pay more than $2.6B to match the deal and that NBC's overall bid could be structured in a way (for example, multiple weekly over-the-air games) that makes it virtually impossible for WBD to equal. Sources said Zaslav would then essentially have three choices: pass on the NBA, drastically overpay for the "B" package or take the NBA to court over the definition of a match.
RELATED: Shared NBA package for NBC, TNT not in the cards.
In that event, sources said the league will contend a match is not dollar-for-dollar and that, specifically, a match would need to include the same ad revenue, broadcast windows, etc. -- something WBD apparently disagrees with. Sources said the NBA is prepping its lawyers for a possible inquisition or lawsuit.
It is also becoming clearer how WBD reached this perilous point in negotiations. During Disney's and WBD's exclusive negotiating window from mid-March to April 22, industry sources said Disney was firm about not letting the "A" package go on the open market. So it doubled its old rights fee of $1.4B annually to $2.8B.
But those same sources said Zaslav -- whose company paid $1.2B for NBA media rights a decade ago -- believed he would only have to pay between $1.8B and $2.1B to retain the "B" package this time around and refused to double to $2.4B. That is why the bidding ventured into the marketplace and why NBC leaped in. If WBD does, in fact, lose the NBA, 2024-25 will be its final season under the current deal.
WuTang_OG wrote:
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/05/22/nba-formalizing-media-rights-deals-disney-amazon-nbc?publicationSource=morningbuzz&issue=6a6f31ddf9404a369fce5d5051cb4d96The NBA is formalizing written contracts with Disney, NBC and Amazon this week, with sources calling it the final stage of media rights negotiations that may inevitably lead incumbent Warner Bros. Discovery to take legal action.
Industry sources believe ESPN will ultimately pay $2.8B annually -- up from a reported $2.6B -- for the league's "A" package, which includes the NBA Finals, a conference final, weekly primetime games, the WNBA and likely shared international rights. NBC's proposed "B" package is believed to be now worth $2.6B annually -- up from a reported $2.5B -- and would probably include a "Basketball Night in America" on Sunday nights following the NFL season, a total of two primetime windows a week, conference semifinals and a conference final. Amazon's deal is believed to be worth between $1.8B and $2B and would likely include the Emirates In-Season Tournament, the SoFi Play-In Tournament, first-round playoff games, the WNBA and international rights.
The final tweaks -- which sources said have been fluid and changing almost every other day -- are expected to be finalized in the coming days or week, at which time sources said all three networks will go to their respective boards to have the written bids ratified. At that point, sources said the league will take NBC's contract to WBD to see if WBD CEO David Zaslav is able to match it in "total value."
Considering WBD is $40B in debt and does not have the over-the-air infrastructure of NBC, sources believe WBD would need to pay more than $2.6B to match the deal and that NBC's overall bid could be structured in a way (for example, multiple weekly over-the-air games) that makes it virtually impossible for WBD to equal. Sources said Zaslav would then essentially have three choices: pass on the NBA, drastically overpay for the "B" package or take the NBA to court over the definition of a match.
RELATED: Shared NBA package for NBC, TNT not in the cards.
In that event, sources said the league will contend a match is not dollar-for-dollar and that, specifically, a match would need to include the same ad revenue, broadcast windows, etc. -- something WBD apparently disagrees with. Sources said the NBA is prepping its lawyers for a possible inquisition or lawsuit.
It is also becoming clearer how WBD reached this perilous point in negotiations. During Disney's and WBD's exclusive negotiating window from mid-March to April 22, industry sources said Disney was firm about not letting the "A" package go on the open market. So it doubled its old rights fee of $1.4B annually to $2.8B.
But those same sources said Zaslav -- whose company paid $1.2B for NBA media rights a decade ago -- believed he would only have to pay between $1.8B and $2.1B to retain the "B" package this time around and refused to double to $2.4B. That is why the bidding ventured into the marketplace and why NBC leaped in. If WBD does, in fact, lose the NBA, 2024-25 will be its final season under the current deal.
ciueli wrote:I'm trying to figure out what this means for watching the NBA in Canada going forward since I'm seeing conflicting information in different places. I fear this will mean the end of just needing a cable subscription in Canada to watch 100% of Raptor games and 100% of playoff games, that's what it seems like will happen thanks to the NBA bringing Amazon into the picture. If so, it's still unclear as to just what games will end up being lost.
It's just really weird to me that everyone is so concerned with NBC stealing the NBA away from TNT when the real news is Amazon stripping important games away from cable.
WuTang_OG wrote:agreed on ESPN production and broadcasting. Massive failure. Bunch of nobodies with zero basketball intellect.
I actually think Amazon will do a nice job with their production. I wonder which people they will get.
