Via Industry Sources, Sports Business Daily is reporting that the NBA has agreed to keep the league in TNT and ESPN/ABC’s hands. The deal is expected to be for 8 years, and include multiple digital media privledges (none of which will provide live games, so I’m not interested).
The deals are not completed, but multiple executives close to the talks confirmed that the partners have zeroed in on the framework of a comprehensive deal that has been in the works for the better part of a year. At eight years, the agreement would mark the longest television contract the NBA has ever signed.The current deal with ESPN/ABC and Turner expires at the end of next season, spanning six years. The league’s previous two television deals with NBC were for four years.
No other networks are even close to challenging, so it looks like we’re stuck with these two players for the long haul. The deal will obviously be more than the last one, which will put it at over a $765 Million average anually.
NBA near deal with TV partners (Sports Business Daily)
