NBA chooses Amazon over Warner Bros. Discovery for media rights in $77 billion deal.

From CNBC: 2024-07-24 17:30:02

In the 2024 NBA Finals, Luka Doncic faced off against the Boston Celtics at the TD Garden in Boston. Warner Bros. Discovery lost its bid to continue airing NBA games, with the league choosing Amazon as its third partner in a $77 billion media deal. The NBA cited a lack of matching rights for Warner Bros. Discovery in the new deal.

Warner Bros. Discovery, the NBA’s current media partner, acquired matching rights which allowed them to match payment for games that air on TNT. The NBA believes that these rights do not extend to the all-streaming package, which was designated for Amazon. Warner Bros. Discovery indicated it plans to simulcast TNT games on its streaming service Max.

The NBA justified its decision by stating that Warner Bros. Discovery’s rights did not cover specific forms of combined audio and video distribution, which was relevant to Amazon’s package. The league’s objective is to maximize the accessibility of games for fans. Amazon, ESPN, and NBCUniversal have all committed resources to enhance the fan experience.

Disney will pay $2.62 billion annually for its NBA games package, while NBCUniversal will pay $2.45 billion. These deals run from the 2025-26 season to the 2035-36 season. The NBA will create a central portal for games, directing fans to national games on broadcast, cable TV, or streaming services. Disney and NBCUniversal will air regular-season games, with exclusive partnerships for broadcasting playoffs and finals.



Read more at CNBC: NBA picks Amazon for media rights over Warner Bros. Discovery