NBA Media Rights Negotiations Reach Exclusive End, ESPN and TNT Given Matching Power

The exclusive negotiating window between the NBA and ESPN and TNT has come to an end, giving media incumbents ESPN and TNT the chance to match any new deal the league may strike with a third party. According to a source familiar with the existing contract terms, this means that if the NBA decides to partner with Amazon or NBC/Peacock for a streaming package, ESPN or TNT would have the right to match that deal. Similarly, if another company like NBC were to try to take over an existing linear TV deal held by ESPN or TNT, those incumbents would also have the right to match that deal.

Despite no formal agreement being reached before the window closed, discussions are still ongoing between the NBA, Disney, and Warner Bros. Discovery regarding their media deals. Before the negotiating window closed, there were reports that the NBA and ESPN/TNT were close to reaching a new deal, with both sides being 75% of the way there when the period opened last month.

The NBA is looking to potentially alter how it delivers games in new media deals, which could involve partnerships with streaming services or changes to existing TV deals. The league’s media rights are highly coveted, and the outcome of these negotiations could have a significant impact on how fans consume NBA games in the future.