The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the NBA will announce that they’ve reached long-term media rights deals with ESPN and Turner that would pay the league about $2.6 billion per year.
The league also laid plans in partnership with ESPN for a new online video service that would show live regular season games, the people said. In a significant move for ESPN, which derives its huge profits from the pay-TV ecosystem, that service will be open to people who aren’t cable or satellite TV customers.
The contracts with Disney and Turner will give them the rights to NBA games through the 2024-2025 season, the people said. NBA telecasts will continue on Turner’s TNT, ESPN and Disney’s ABC network, which will continue to show the NBA Finals, one of the people said.
The deal would more than double the current contracts between the league and its media partners. ESPN currently pays the NBA $485 million annually, while Turner dolls out $445 million per year.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to announce the media deals in a news conference Monday morning with the next NBA season less than a month away.