The NBA’s New TV Era: Billions, Broadcasts, and the Death of TNT (for Now)

The NBA signed the kind of media rights deal that makes even Jeff Bezos blush — and it’s going to change everything.

Starting in the 2025–26 season, the league enters an 11-year, $76 billion broadcast and streaming bonanza with Disney (ABC/ESPN), NBC/Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video, running through 2036. That’s a 160% revenue jump and the most lucrative deal in NBA history. Translation: the league is swimming in cash, and you’re about to watch basketball in more places than you can count.

The Money: Historic and Hilarious

This isn’t just a bag — it’s the whole Brinks truck.

• Media revenue jumps from about $2.6 billion a year to over $7 billion annually.

• Salary cap? Skyrocketing (but no 2016-style chaos this time thanks to new rules).

• Role players? About to get paid like stars.

• Franchise values? Get ready to hear the word billion even more than usual.

  
  

Where You’ll Watch

For the first time ever, NBA games will hit broadcast TV, cable, and streaming — at scale. No cable? No problem. A game is basically always on somewhere.

Here’s the breakdown:

ABC/ESPN (Disney)

• Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons

• Wednesdays and select Fridays

• NBA Finals stays here

• Streaming: ESPN+ and whatever Disney’s direct-to-consumer service becomes

NBC & Peacock

• Sunday and Tuesday nights

• Opening Night and All-Star events

• Monday nights? Exclusive to Peacock

• Yes, NBC is back — cue the nostalgic theme music

Amazon Prime Video

• Thursday night doubleheaders

• Fridays and select Saturdays

• Exclusive Play-In, NBA Cup games, and part of the playoffs

• Basically: “Oh, you already pay for Prime? Cool — have some hoops with your free shipping.”

And about 75 regular-season games a year will now be free on broadcast TV, up from the sad 15 before.

RIP (For Now) TNT

After decades of Chuck, Shaq, Kenny, and Ernie clowning around on Inside the NBA, TNT’s run is done — at least in its current form.

But don’t worry: the show is rumored to be moving to ESPN under a different deal. Same jokes, new backdrop.

What It Means for Fans

• Way more free games

• More streaming flexibility — Peacock, Prime, ESPN+, and probably from your friend’s login

• No more hunting down random regional feeds on shady websites

• The NBA App will tell you where to watch, because let’s be honest, you’d never figure it out yourself

• The downside? Now you get to shell out even more cash for three streaming services just to watch your team lose on a Tuesday in February. Congrats.

The Road Ahead

This isn’t just a media deal — it’s the dawn of a new NBA era.

• Salaries will explode (again)

• Franchise values will hit new highs

• Viewership? The league hopes so

So come fall 2025, when the first ball goes up, you won’t just be watching a game — you’ll be witnessing the NBA’s most expensive glow-up ever.

And for the record: the NBA is trying to figure out how to get you to care about a Tuesday in February. Well played, Adam Silver.

Final Word

So come fall 2025, when the first ball goes up, you won’t just be watching a game — you’ll be watching the NBA’s most expensive glow-up ever.

And make no mistake: the NBA is trying to crack the code, to finally fill the massive, football-shaped void that opens up when the NFL season ends. With billions on the line, more platforms than ever, and games on every night of the week, they’re betting big that they can keep you watching long after the Super Bowl confetti hits the ground. Well played — now let’s see if it works