News: NBA rights, ESPN MLB opt-out, ESPN NBA hires

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The NBA could expand to as many as five rights partners in its new deal, per a report. Plus: ESPN and Major League Baseball have a previously unreported mutual opt-out after the 2025 season; Austin Rivers is joining his dad Doc Rivers on ESPN’s NBA coverage this season.

NBA could seek as many as five partners in new deal, per report

The NBA could seek as many as five partners in its next media rights deal, Front Office Sports reported Sunday. The league has never had more than three rights partners at any given time — CBS, ESPN and USA Network held rights in from 1982-84 — and has had the same two, ESPN/ABC and Warner Bros. Discovery, since the 2002-03 season.

The Front Office Sports piece follows a report in the Wall Street Journal that both ESPN and TNT are exploring reduced rights packages in their new deals. Expanding to as many as four or five partners would presumably allow the league to more-than make up for any reduction in rights fees or inventory on the part of its incumbents.

As has been reported numerous times, Amazon is believed to be a leading contender for NBA rights. Per the Front Office Sports report, the company is interested in a Tuesday or Thursday night package in the mold of Thursday Night Football. (Front Office Sports 10.22)

ESPN, MLB, can opt-out of deal after 2025

ESPN can opt-out of its Major League Baseball rights deal after the 2025 season, the New York Post reported Monday, an aspect of the company’s seven-year rights deal that apparently had not been previously disclosed. ESPN currently pays $560 million per year for an MLB package featuring Sunday night and Wild Card playoff games, a reduction in money and inventory from the prior deal.

Per the report, MLB can also choose to opt out of the ESPN deal at that time. It was not clear whether there is a similar opt out in Fox Sports or Warner Bros. Discovery’s respective deals.

News of the opt-out clause comes as ESPN prepares to bid on rights to the NBA and College Football Playoff. (NYP 10.23)

ESPN adds a second Rivers, Iguodala, for NBA coverage

ESPN has hired former NBA players Austin Rivers and Andre Iguodala as NBA analysts, it was announced Monday. Rivers will work at least one game with his father, new ESPN lead NBA analyst Doc Rivers. Additional newcomers include former New York Knicks GM Scott Perry, who will work in the studio, and WNBA Sun coach Stephanie White — who has been a college basketball analyst for ESPN. WNBA Aces coach Becky Hammon will also return to her role on ESPN’s NBA coverage. (ESPN conference call)

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Jon Lewis

Jon Lewis has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. You can contact him here or on the social media websites X (Twitter) or Bluesky.

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Comments 12

4th&long says:

3 years ago

NBA looking at 5 partners = not expecting to get the money they want from 2, 3 or 4 partners. LeBron is 38 yrs old and they will be losing their unofficial poster boy pretty soon. There are alot of stars in NBA but none like LeBron crossing into the main stream as much. With the issues in linear TV and legacy media doing all it can to screw itself, getting the money which seemed like a sure thing 2-3 years ago is looking harder.

ESPN needs MLB if it wants to go direct-to-customer with cross appeal. Perhaps they try to negotiate the price down. Good luck with the inflation we have- $560mm sounds cheap.
esl says:

3 years ago

I do think ESPN will get out of the MLB contract completely. They are definitely looking toward the NBA and college football playoffs. I think ESPN wants to go heavy on the college football playoff. They would like to get exclusive coverage to all playoffs if possible. I am concerned about MLBs linear TV package going forward. Other than Fox with their inconsistent MLB schedule, I don’t think there will be any national game of the week. I would like to see TBS step up and get a full national game (instead of their non-exclusive games they have now), but, I don’t think they want to invest that much in the regular season. I see another lousy streaming deal. Maybe Amazon comes in for a Sunday Night Package.
- Jon Lewis says:
  
  3 years ago
  
  I wonder if MLB would be willing to give The CW a try for something like Sunday Night Baseball in that scenario. It would be viewed as a step down and MLB would take a ton of heat for it, but it’s still broadcast television. That is of course if Nexstar is willing to pay what MLB would want.
  - Wyatt Smith says:
    
    3 years ago
    
    They could, or maybe NBC gets Sunday night baseball from ESPN (based on the success of Sunday night football, it will be a good companion with it, maybe not for September, have those games exclusively on Peacock to replace the Sunday morning they have who knows?)
    - esl says:
      
      3 years ago
      
      I cant see NBC investing heavily in MLB (especially with expected a big NBA bid coming up). More likely, I can see Peacock taking over the Sunday Night game, with maybe some games on NBC (and Peacock moving off of the Sunday morning games). This would work if Amazon doesnt take the Sunday Night package. I also like the idea of CW too (to keep it on broadcast). But, it will depend on the rights fees and if Nexstar will pay.
  - Josh says:
    
    3 years ago
    
    Would FOX prefer Sunday Night Baseball? It would be better for baseball as a whole to have their one national game a week when no one else is playing to air on a broadcast channel. They’d also get the football bump in September when the postseason field is finalizing.
    
    I’m not sure if the exclusive window is preferred by broadcasters or if FOX prefers airing multiple games in a window to maximize regional eyeballs.
    - Jon Lewis says:
      
      3 years ago
      
      Would be interesting, but FOX would have to be willing to get rid of its Sunday night animated comedies. The ratings are terrible, but those are pretty much the only scripted series FOX has.
    - Matt Galvin says:
      
      3 years ago
      
      CBS? CBS Sportsline?
Rob Mills says:

3 years ago

MLB will be on ION before all is said and done. (Big fan Jon, you do a great job)
William Haney says:

3 years ago

One more thing. Fox most likely got big numbers for PSU-OSU. Poor NBC was stuck with Minnesota-Iowa and a blowout two scandal laden Michigan teams. Maybe next year adding the Pac12 team will help Saturday nights. Fox will need to loosen up on Mich-OSU game. It looks like Fox is leaving little for the other networks. NBC is getting a little.screwed. This past Saturday, the first game featured the worst offense in college (but a top punter and defense) but a plus happened with a last minute would be leading punt returned after a ticky tack call by the refs. The night game was over early and both teams has negative baggage off the field. I would ask for a refund if I was NBC.
William Haney says:

3 years ago

NBA: Turner and ABC/ESPN as usual. Amazon, NBC/Peacock, and Fox (Friday nights opening up soon).

MLB: Fox and Turner stays. Amazon and a better NBC deal getting rid of that Sunday morning games for Friday night.

NASCAR: Fox will stay but may have to share Daytona 500 with another network (those years, they get the championship race. .Amazon,Apple, or maybe mid season , and NBC parts again leaving an opening for CBS/Paramount+, return to ABC/ESPN+/ESPN2, or give this to CW with the mid-season streaming (that will not go well with the die-hard fans though).

CFP: ESPN gets two semi-finals and rotate championship with Fox, NBC, and CBS. Each network gets a quarterfinal.
- Jon Lewis says:
  
  3 years ago
  
  NASCAR seems to be wrapped up as far as who will be involved. FOX early, NBC late and Amazon or Turner in the middle. Just a question of actually getting the deal to the finish line.