NBA $76 billion rights deal appears to be messy as fans feel betrayed by rising costs to watch the games next season

The NBA has always been a key part of American sports culture, thrilling fans with amazing dunks, last-second shots, and iconic stars like LeBron James and Stephen Curry. However, as the league prepares for the 2025-26 season, a major change is happening that might push away millions of dedicated fans.

In July 2024, the NBA sealed a huge 11-year media rights agreement valued at $76 billion, teaming up with Disney (ABC and ESPN), NBC Universal (NBC and Peacock), and Amazon Prime Video.
NBA ends nine year 24 billion dollar media deal after the 2024 25 seasonThe NBA's former media rights contract was established in 2014 and expired after the 2024-25 season. It was a nine-year deal with Disney (ABC/ESPN) and Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT) valued at approximately $24 billion.

REPORT: The NBA is finalizing media rights deals with ESPN, Amazon, and NBC that will bring in $76 BILLION (!!!) over the next 11 years.

No TNT… (via @WSJ) pic.twitter.com/WzLF80qK4c

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 5, 2024

This contract was averaged at $2.7billion per year and this played a big role in the growth of the league including the salaries of the players which are currently worth over 10million a year. But with the cord-cutting- craze- millions of households are dropping old-fashioned cable, NBA wanted to shift to a streaming-centered future.


As viewing trends shifted, the league looked to increase revenue by collaborating with tech giants and broadcasters eager for top-notch live sports content.

In 2023, negotiations intensified, featuring bids from established names like ESPN and newcomers such as Amazon. TNT, a long-standing partner, tried to keep up with Amazon's offer but was eventually pushed aside due to a legal dispute that ended in a settlement.

The NBA’s potential new TV deal is reportedly worth $76 BILLION. ‼️

(But TNT won't be involved 😢) pic.twitter.com/ZyM0z923Ob

— theScore (@theScore) June 5, 2024

The new contract, which the NBA Board of Governors approved in July 2024, signifies a 160% rise in annual value, jumping to approximately $6.9 billion per year. Silver, during his remarks at the NBA 2K Summer League in July 2025, focusing the shift towards streaming, noting that services like Peacock and Prime Video now rival cable in terms of reach and accessibility.
Los Angeles Lakers fans may need multiple subscriptions to catch all 34 national gamesThe era of flipping to TNT or ESPN and knowing you’ll catch a game is behind us. From the 2025-26 season onward, about 100 nationally televised NBA games per regular season will be spread out over a mind-boggling number of platforms.


Here’s a breakdown of the new schedule day by day, based on information released in court documents and league announcements

• Mondays: Exclusively on Peacock (NBCUniversal's streaming service).
• Tuesdays: NBC broadcast network in the evening, with some games on Peacock.
• Wednesdays: ESPN, often featuring doubleheaders.
• Thursdays: Amazon Prime Video.
• Fridays: Split between Amazon Prime Video and ESPN.
• Saturdays: Afternoon games on Amazon Prime Video, evening on ABC.
• Sundays: Afternoon on ABC, evening on NBC or Peacock.

This fragmentation indicates that fans can't count on a single channel or even one provider. For instance, if you're a Lakers fan looking to catch their 34 nationally televised games (as anticipated for top teams like the Warriors, Thunder, and Knicks), you'll need to have access to all these services.
Denver Nuggets fans face a $1,346 yearly bill just to watch every gameThe cost is where the deal really hurts. To see every game for a team like the Denver Nuggets, fans could need:

• YouTube TV or cable (for ABC, NBC, ESPN): ~$73/month or $857/year.
• Peacock: $10/month or $110/year.
• Amazon Prime: $15/month or $139/year.
• Local RSN (e.g., Altitude Sports): $20/month or $240/year.
• Optional: ESPN+ for extras (~$11/month).

Fans estimate it to be around $1,346 a year, and this has been shared widely on social media. If you factor in League Pass and other extras, the total for all NBA games could go over $1,500 each year. Just think back to 2010, when basic cable for about $50 a month, or $600 a year, was enough.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DN3qBKxQtne/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DN3qBKxQtne/

Silver has minimized concerns about affordability, stating to Dan Patrick on NBC Sports in January 2025 that the league is "focused on the NBA's media transition and helping fans" get through it. Still, with late-night programs like NBC's "Coast-to-Coast Tuesdays" starting at 11 p.m. ET, East Coast fans are basically sidelined during the week.

Also Read: Golden State Warriors interest in LeBron James hits a dead end as Los Angeles Lakers hold firm

It seems like the league has overlooked the people who created it — the regular fans. Pursuing billions may seem impressive on paper, but when following your favorite team becomes a complicated web of apps and subscriptions, the enchantment of the game begins to diminish.