The NBA moved into the digital age with a massive new 11-year, roughly $76 billion broadcast rights deal that will begin in the fall of 2025. While many have focused on the cost to fans or the availability of games, ESPN analyst and retired journeyman center Kendrick Perkins believes the new package will be great for one important overlooked party: small-market NBA franchises.
In an interview with Front Office Sports released Monday, Perkins explained why the overall increase in nationally televised games will be important for the exposure of teams from smaller cities and their star players.
“I think it’s a great thing because now you’re going to have more nationally televised games. And that’s great for the players, because now we’re going to be able to see a lot of small-market teams be on national television,” Perkins said on the Front Office Sports Today podcast.
“We’re going to be seeing a young, up-and-coming team like the Orlando Magic and be able to shine a light on a young man like Paolo Banchero. We’re going to be able to see Evan Mobley from the Cleveland Cavaliers and his strides to continue to be great and make All-Stars and All-NBA. We’re going to see guys like Scottie Barnes, who we don’t get to see on the regular.”
The NBA added a third partner in the new deal and moved on from a three-decade partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery. After the NFL season ends, NBA fans are expected to be able to watch at least one national game each night of the week between ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video.
Of course, all this new revenue trickles back to players as part of Basketball-Related Income, which is split between their salaries and owners’ pocketbooks. But Perkins believes the increase in national exposure will trickle down to players’ off-court opportunities as well.
“I think it’s more opportunity for the players because the more that you’re seen on national television, it’s no knock on League Pass, but when your games are on in bars, restaurants, you get more visibility,” Perkins added. “And it’s better for their personal brand.”
For years, the NBA has made every out-of-market game available to stream through League Pass. But while the NBA has not explicitly stated that the number of national TV games will go up, an extra-national partner and additional inventory like the NBA Cup and In-Season Tournament all but confirm Perkins’ hypothesis.
In recent months, New York Knicks owner James Dolan has made it his personal mission to antagonize the NBA over its move to becoming a more national TV product. Dolan owns MSG Networks, which airs Knicks games, and likely makes much more through that arrangement than he does through his portion of national TV revenue.
Taking inventory off of a regional sports network like MSG may anger the big-market teams, but commissioner Adam Silver clearly believed the league’s overall health was better served this way. Of course, many regional sports networks are failing or have been abandoned by their local NBA teams. While Dolan has avoided that fate, Silver’s job is to provide a solution.
At the same time, as Perkins notes, someone like Banchero would greatly benefit from a larger audience now being able to see him play.
