The NFL is not the only league discussing an investment into ESPN, and they may not even be the front runners. According to a new report from Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, the NBA is also “still very much in play” to acquire a piece of the worldwide leader.
While details in the report are sparse as far as what a partnership between the NBA and ESPN would look like, McCarthy notes the Association could perhaps benefit even more from such a deal than the NFL.
When the New York Post’s Andrew Marchand reported last week that the NFL was in “advanced talks” to acquire a stake in ESPN, that deal was believed to include an ESPN takeover of NFL Media. The NBA’s cable network, app and website are managed by Warner Bros. Discovery under a previous broadcast rights deal. Any deal between the NBA and Disney around ESPN would likely center on ESPN taking over creative control of those assets.
The NBA is currently negotiating new rights deals with broadcasters including ESPN. In addition to the digital assets and NBA TV, its League Pass product could change hands.
On the other hand, the NFL just agreed to a new package of broadcast rights deals in the spring of 2021. Those will last through 2032.
While ESPN has always been a high-paying, loyal partner to the NFL and has only increased its coverage of pro football over the years, one could argue the NBA needs the boost more.
Yet as McCarthy points out, both leagues could invest. And beyond sports leagues, sports betting operators, streamers and distributors like Google or Amazon, and even private equity firms could make bids before it’s all said and done.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.