The NBA has finalized an 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal that will begin in the 2025-26 season. This landmark agreement involves ESPN/ABC, Amazon, and NBCUniversal (including Peacock).
Key aspects of this NBA-wide deal include:
* Duration: 11 years, running through the 2035-36 season.
* Total Value: Approximately $76 billion.
* Broadcasters:
* ESPN and ABC: Will continue to be major partners, retaining the NBA Finals and one Conference Final series annually (alternating in the final year). They will also broadcast a significant number of regular-season and early playoff games, including Christmas Day and marquee weekend matchups. ESPN is also expected to gain international and digital rights for their upcoming direct-to-consumer product, potentially leading to a reduction in their total game broadcasts.
* Amazon (Prime Video): Will broadcast one Conference Final series every other year, NBA Cup games, and Play-In Tournament games. They will also stream roughly one-third of the first and second-round playoff games each year, along with a weekly regular-season game on either Friday or Saturday nights and Thursday night games after the NFL season. Amazon will also have international streaming rights and WNBA coverage.
* NBC and Peacock: Will broadcast one Conference Final series every other year, the All-Star Game, NBA All-Star Saturday night, Opening Night games, and a “Sunday Night Basketball” package after the NFL season. Peacock will also feature a weekly Tuesday night game before the end of the NFL season and an undetermined number of exclusive Monday night games. NBC and Peacock will air approximately 28 games in the first two rounds of the playoffs each season, with at least half on broadcast NBC.
* Increased National Broadcasts: The new deals will significantly increase the number of nationally televised games across broadcast TV, cable, and streaming platforms.
* TNT’s Future: Notably, Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT) was not part of the primary rights agreement. However, they have since reached a settlement with the NBA that will see the continuation of “Inside the NBA” and grant them select international media rights. Disney (ESPN/ABC) will also license the studio show to ESPN and ABC on select dates. In return, ESPN will sublicense some college football and basketball games to WBD for TNT and Max.
Impact on the Miami Heat:
While the Heat aren’t the sole subject of this $76 billion deal, they will undoubtedly benefit from the increased revenue generated by the league. This revenue is shared among all 30 NBA teams, leading to higher salary caps and potentially increased team valuations.
Additionally, Heat games will be featured as part of the national broadcasts on ESPN/ABC, Amazon Prime Video, and NBC/Peacock, increasing their visibility to a wider audience. The specifics of how many Heat games will appear on each platform will be determined as the broadcast schedules are released each season.
It’s important to distinguish between this national media rights deal and any local media rights agreements the Miami Heat might have for broadcasting their games within their regional market. Currently, Bally Sports Sun holds the regional television rights for the Heat through the 2024-25 season. The future of local broadcasts for the Heat and other teams whose deals with Diamond Sports Group (Bally Sports’ parent company) are expiring is still somewhat in flux as the league explores options for a national Regional Sports Network (RSN) streaming model.
In summary, the news you heard is about the NBA’s massive new media rights deal, which the Miami Heat will be a part of, but it’s not an exclusive deal solely for the Heat. The Heat, like all other NBA teams, will see benefits from this agreement starting in the 2025-26 season.
