Could the iconic NBA on NBC make a return to the airwaves for the first time since 2002?
According to a new report from Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, NBC is interested in making a run at NBA television rights once again when the current media deals expire after the 2024-’25 season.
“NBC is a player,” Marchand said on The Ariel Helwani Basketball Show earlier this week. “I think they’re gonna fight with TNT for Tuesday. It’s possible they could try to do Sunday Night Basketball after Sunday Night Football.”
The NBA has become a massive television enterprise, as the league is aiming to triple its media rights fees from $2.6 billion in the current deal to upwards of $7 to $8 billion annually in the next set of media contracts, according to a 2021 report from Jabari Young of CNBC.
Marchand said that while NBC certainly would like to toss its hat back into the ring, it will have plenty of competition, namely from ESPN, TNT and Amazon.
“I would say TNT goes to Tuesday. Thursday is Amazon, possibly Apple, but Thursday, Amazon. ESPN cuts down on the amount of games they have in terms of the regular season, but still a lot," Marchand stated.
As for the new in-season tournament that is included as part of the new CBA, Marchand wasn’t sure who would hold the television rights there.
NBC is far from a favorite to land TV rights, but the interest is palpable, and fans can hold out hope to hear that iconic NBA on NBC jingle once again in the near future.
