NBA

How much is Amazon paying the NBA for their broadcasting rights?

The NBA is officially entering the modern era of sports broadcasting by closing a TV rights deal with streaming service Amazon.

Francis Mascarenhas

Andy Restrepo

Andy is a Miami native journalist and translator who is always on top of what sporting activity is taking place across the globe, and he aims to ensure all relevant information is shared with fans. Mainly focused on the US competitions of NBA, NFL and MLS, he also has a keen interest in international soccer, including Spain's LaLiga and the English Premier League among others.

Update: Apr 26th, 2024 19:19 EDT

On Friday, Andrew Marchand of The Athletic reported that Amazon Prime is expected to sign a rights deal with the NBA, marking a significant shift for the league.

Amazon Prime is set to become the first streaming service to broadcast NBA games after the league’s current media rights deal expires. The deal is expected to begin during the 2025-26 season and run through the next decade it covers both regular season and postseason games, including potential conference Finals.

How much is Amazon paying for the NBA broadcasting rights?

The NBA’s current rights deal with ESPN/ABC and Turner is worth about $23 billion.
Reports suggest that the league hopes to secure up to $75 billion in total during this next round of rights negotiations. Amazon, as a non-traditional viewing platform, may need to pay a steep price, there is still no concrete number for this deal.

This is a historic moment for US sports

For the first time ever, the NBA will be exclusively broadcast on a streaming platform. Previously, NBA games were available only on cable or broadcast television. Major League Baseball has a league-wide deal with Apple TV, and the NFL broadcasts Thursday Night Football on Amazon. Now, the NBA joins the streaming world with Amazon Prime.

The NBA is coming to Amazon Prime Video. 👀https://t.co/Eueyxvgqkc pic.twitter.com/iB2bsJeD3o
— theScore (@theScore) April 26, 2024

What It means for fans

“You’re supposed to have anxiety and pressure” -LeBron James’ response to reporter

NBA

Mark Cuban's Dallas Mavericks ownership explained

Fans who want to watch every NBA game after next season will need a Prime subscription.
The move to streaming opens up new possibilities for viewership and accessibility. Basketball enthusiasts can look forward to a historic moment as the NBA embraces the digital age.

The NBA’s deal with Amazon Prime represents a groundbreaking shift in sports broadcasting, and fans can expect more exciting developments in the years to come. This is the new norm as traditional TV has to change for the future.