The NBA and WNBA have recently finalized deals with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon for the broadcasting and streaming of games for the next eleven years. The NBA agreement will cover the seasons from 2025-2026 to 2035-2036, while the WNBA deal will be in effect from 2026 to 2036. ESPN, a long-time partner of pro basketball, will continue to be the primary media rights owner for both leagues. The NBA finals will be exclusively aired on ESPN for all eleven years of the new deal, with five out of the eleven WNBA finals also being broadcasted by the network.
In addition to ESPN, basketball fans can expect to see more games available for streaming thanks to the new partnerships with NBC and Amazon. NBC and its streaming platform, Peacock, will have access to 100 NBA national games each regular season. Approximately 50 of these games will be exclusively streamed on Peacock, including national Monday night games and doubleheaders. Amazon’s Prime Video will be the home for 66 regular-season NBA games and 30 regular-season WNBA games per year.
Notably absent from the lineup is TNT Sports, as the NBA’s deal with the network does not seem to be extended beyond next year. While Amazon has secured most of the games, TNT Sports claims to have matched their offer and is challenging the NBA’s decision to switch partners. However, the NBA maintains that the offer from Warner Bros. Discovery, TNT Sports’ parent company, did not match Amazon’s offer, giving them the freedom to explore other options.
These new agreements mark a significant shift towards streaming for basketball fans. While it’s convenient to have access to games through existing streaming services, such as Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, the multiple media partners may make it challenging for fans to keep track of where to watch each game. Similar to Major League Baseball, which airs games across various networks like ESPN, Fox, Apple TV+, TNT Sports, and MLB Network, NBA and WNBA games will now be spread out across different platforms.
