Fans of the 1990s NBA fondly remember The NBA on NBC.
Games were played on that network for years, up until the early 2000s when the league signed a new distribution deal with ABC, one that lives on to this day.
Today, we watch NBA games on ABC, ESPN, its streaming services, and TNT, but there was a time when NBC owned the NBA.
That time could come again.
REPORT: “NBC Sports is prepared to make an aggressive offer to win back NBA rights after more than 20 years without them,” via @sherman4949/@CNBC.
(https://t.co/xPHfaHD4H8) pic.twitter.com/q8QrU9jLom
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 13, 2023
CNBC is reporting that NBC Sports is going to make an “aggressive offer to win back NBA rights after more than 20 years without them.”
The NBA’s agreement with Disney (owner of ABC and ESPN) and Warner Bros. Discovery (owner of TNT) is good through the end of the 2024-25 season, which means that any new deal won’t be negotiated for more than two years from now.
There is a chance that the parties come to an agreement before that time and NBC never even gets to try for the contract.
But if they get their shot, they will surely attempt to impress the NBA and win them back.
The NBA is likely going to hear proposals from NBC because they know the television landscape is rapidly changing.
The future of the league will revolve around streaming and the NBA wants to see which network is able to best provide a strong steaming strategy.
Because of that, other companies like Amazon will also try to woo the NBA.
There is a chance that NBA games come back to NBC in the next few years.
But there is also a chance they are with a brand new network or streaming service too, greatly changing the way we enjoy the game.
NEXT: A Celebrated NBA Star May Be Making A Return
