NBA, WNBA Land New TV Deals

New York Knicks and New York Liberty games will undergo some adjustments.

Jan 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; ESPN analysts Doc Rivers (left) and Doris Burke (center) and play-by-play announcer Mike Breen during the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Do not adjust your set ... unless, of course, you're a fan of the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, or any other NBA/WNBA team.

Both leagues unveiled the detailed behind new media rights deals, on Wednesday, one that retains ABC/ESPN's long-running coverage, welcomes back NBC Sports to the fold, and introduces Amazon Prime Video to the hardwood.

“Our new global media agreements with Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon will maximize the reach and accessibility of NBA games for fans in the United States and around the world,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in a statement from the league.  “These partners will distribute our content across a wide range of platforms and help transform the fan experience over the next decade.”

“Partnering with Disney, Amazon, and NBCU marks a monumental chapter in WNBA history and clearly demonstrates the significant rise in value and the historic level of interest in women’s basketball,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement of her own.  “These agreements allow the league to continue to build a long-term and sustainable growth model for the future of women’s basketball and sports which will benefit WNBA players, teams, and fans.”

May 20, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; ESPN play-byplay commentator Mike Breen during game three of the Western Conference Finals for the 2023 NBA playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA's new deal, which will end a lasting partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery's TNT, will tip off for the 2025-26 season and last 11 years through 2036-37.

ABC/ESPN, each under the ownership of The Walt Disney Company, will continue to hold exclusive rights to the NBA Finals, continuing a broadcasting run that began in 2003. The WNBA Finals will rotate between the three new partners, with Disney getting five and NBCU/Amazon nabbing three each.

Disney's networks will also maintain 80 regular season games, including the annual Christmas Day slate. Mike Breen, the Knicks' top play-by-play man on MSG Network, is expected to continue calling the highest-profile games.

Back in the fold is NBC, whose NBA coverage from 1990 through 2002 remains talked about and discussed to this day. On the NBA end, NBC will broadcast games on Sunday and Tuesday and also feature a Monday doubleheader on its streaming service Peacock. NBC also takes over the All-Star slate from TNT.

In addition to retaining the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Final, the finale of the league's annual in-season competition, Prime Video will also carry the tournament stage of the newly-minted NBA Cup. Amazon is also set to stream 66 regular season games, including Friday doubleheaders, Saturday afternoon games, and Thursday doubleheaders beginning in January. Amazon also gets the entirety of the NBA's Play-In Tournament.

Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Amazon Prime Video Thursday Night Football hosts and analysts (L to R) Charissa Thompson and Tony Gonzalez and Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andrew Whitworth and Richard Sherman perform the pre-game broadcast before the Pittsburgh Steelers host the New England Patriots at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

NBC and Amazon are also set to rotate NBA conference finals and WNBA semifinals, with ESPN/ABC getting the other.

The new media deal ends the NBA's long-running relationship with TNT, which will end after 36 seasons. Wednesday's announcement came less than 48 hours after Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to match Amazon's attempt at landing coverage but the NBA rejected the offer.

WBD, well-known for its studio show "Inside the NBA," released a statement that hinted at legal action shortly after the NBA's showcase.

"We think they have grossly misinterpreted our contractual rights with respect to the 2025-2026 season and beyond," the statement read in part. "We will take appropriate action."

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