HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NBA'S UPCOMING 11-YEAR, $76 BILLION MEDIA RIGHTS DEAL

The NBA might not be happy with the NFL making Christmas Day a regular part of its schedule. However, its new media rights deals nearly put the two leagues in the same economic arena.

- 

The NBA’s 11-year, $76 billion contract package would kick in with the 2025-26 season. The deal is for the same number of years as the NFL’s most recent agreement, which began with the 2023 season.

The deals with ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon Prime Video will average $6.9 billion per season. The NFL averages $10 billion per year, but that is with five networks. Depending on how things fare with TNT Sports, the NBA could cross the $7 billion threshold.

The NFL remains the top attraction because of its ratings and advertising prowess. The NBA is a firm second and can command top dollar due to its younger viewers as well as having a ton of content.

WHEN DOES THIS BECOME FINAL?

At least not for a couple of weeks. The NBA has a board of governors meeting in Las Vegas next week and could approve the deal there. Once the league sends the finished contracts to TNT Sports, it would have five days to match one of the deals.

DOES TNT SPORTS HAVE ANY CHANCE?

Very slim. And if the NBA really wanted to keep one of its legacy partners in the game, it could have carved out a limited fourth package of games by now.

With TNT’s recent acquisitions of the French Open, College Football Playoff early-round games, the Big East and Mountain West, it appears owner Warner Bros. Discovery is preparing for life without the NBA in the fall of 2025. Turner Sports has had the NBA since 1984.