The National Basketball Association has chosen Amazon as a media partner over Warner Bros. Discovery, stating that Warner Bros. Discovery’s proposal did not match Amazon Prime Video’s offer. This decision is part of the NBA’s strategy to maximize reach and accessibility of games for fans. Disney and Comcast’s NBCUniversal have also signed deals for NBA media rights packages, totaling $77 billion over 11 years.
Warner Bros. Discovery expressed disappointment in the NBA’s decision, as they had matched one of the media rights packages and have been a longtime partner with Turner Sports in broadcasting NBA games. The future of shows like “Inside the NBA” on TNT is uncertain without a deal with the NBA. Warner Bros. Discovery has matching rights as part of their current media rights deal with the league, but NBA believes these do not extend to an exclusive streaming package, which Amazon will provide.
Amazon Prime Video’s larger global customer base of more than 200 million compared to Warner Bros. Discovery’s roughly 100 million may have influenced the NBA’s decision. The streaming rights are global, even though Warner Bros. Discovery only bid on U.S. rights. This move to Amazon reflects the NBA’s focus on expanding its audience and providing a high-quality viewing experience for fans.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
