Amazon, NBC contracts with NBA unsealed during WBD-NBA lawsuit
As part of the legal battle between the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery, the league's rights deals with Amazon and NBA were unsealed.
As part of the legal battle between the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery, the league's rights deals with Amazon and NBA were unsealed.
"I don’t want to be in a relationship where I have to sue somebody to be in it."
WBD is making one final push for NBA broadcast rights despite Amazon and the league's best efforts to box TNT out.
The new NBA deals, which start in 2025-26, will reportedly see ESPN air less regular-season games in exchange for concessions elsewhere.
It appears WBD is going to put its matching rights to the test.
"They didn't see NBC coming."
"It will be a really tough lame duck year and the people know they’re going to get fired at the end of the year."
"Sources said the NBA is prepping its lawyers for a possible inquisition or lawsuit."
"It's a wrap. NBC's getting it."
"Warner Bros. is saying, ‘We'll match it,’ and (Commissioner Adam Silver) is probably saying: ‘It's not matched.’"
Amazon will be a big part of the NBA experience moving forward.
"Warner Discovery is out. That would be the prediction."
"That would make a lot of sense for them."
As ESPN and TNT look to cut costs, streaming could make up the difference in the next NBA rights package.
"I know Turner is nervous, I know ESPN is nervous that Apple and Amazon are gonna come in and take some or all of the NBA packages."
"We look at our sports portfolio and try to balance it overall. And in doing so, I think it’s highly unlikely that we would bid on the NBA."
"The beneficiary of that? NBA…"
Comments from executives on upcoming rights deals often don't pan out. We'll see what happens with these ones from Zaslav.