Bill Walton lands an alternative NBA telecast. Plus: the NFL will play more games in Europe than ever before; more details about LIV Golf and The CW; and more sports media news.
Bill Walton to host alternative NBA broadcast
As first reported by the New York Post‘s Andrew Marchand and then officially announced by the NBA, NBA Hall of Famer and current ESPN broadcaster Bill Walton will headline an alternate presentation of NBA games on the NBA app titled Throw it down with Bill Walton. Walton, who worked NBA games throughout the 1990s and 2000s on NBC and later ESPN/ABC, will be joined by Fox Sports’ Jason Benetti for the five Monday broadcasts. The first game will be Spurs-Trail Blazers on January 23. The first telecast will be shot at Walton’s home in San Diego and feature fellow Hall of Famer Julius Erving and Nike co-founder Phil Knight as special guests. (Marchand 1.19)
NFL announces five European games for 2023
The NFL announced this week that it will host five regular season games in Europe in 2023, the most in league history. The usual three London games will see the Bills and Titans host one game each at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Jaguars host a game at Wembley Stadium. The other two games are set for Germany with host teams Kansas City and New England. Although Munich and Frankfurt are considered frontrunners, the specific host cities will be formally announced at a later date. Notably, there will not be in an NFL game in Mexico City in 2023, due to Estadio Azteca renovations for the 2026 World Cup. (NFL 1.19)
LIV Golf and CW deal details
The LIV Golf Tour has officially announced its media rights deal with The CW. Under the multiyear deal, The CW broadcast network will air weekend coverage of each of the 14 tournaments, with the Friday first round telecasts set for The CW app alone. Per ESPN, the deal is a revenue-sharing agreement in which The CW will not owe a rights fee. LIV Golf will also have to continue to pay production costs, as it did in its first season. LIV Golf tees off its season on February 24 at the El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. (ESPN 1.19)
Plus: NBA BBC deal, IOC Europe deal, Apple Premier League
The NBA has reached an agreement with the BBC to televise nine games this season, including an NBA Finals game. … The IOC signed a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery and the European Broadcasting Union to televise Olympic Games in Europe through 2032. … Apple is rumored to be preparing a bid for the UK’s domestic Premier League rights with the Sky Sports and BT Sport deal expiring in 2025. … (Front Office Sports NBA 1.19, Front Office Sports IOC 1.18, Daily Mail 1.13)
