Turner Sports Matches Amazon Prime's $1.8B Annual NBA TV Deal

Turner Sports plans to extend its longstanding partnership with the NBA. Warner Bros. Discovery has informed the league that it will match Amazon Prime Video's $1.8 billion per year offer. Turner has held an NBA package since 1984, with games broadcast on TNT since the network's inception in 1988.

Warner Bros. Discovery stated, "We have reviewed the offers and matched one of them. This will allow fans to keep enjoying our unparalleled coverage, including the best live game productions in the industry and our iconic studio shows and talent, while building on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years." The company added, "Our matching paperwork was submitted to the league today. We look forward to the NBA executing our new contract."

The NBA's Board of Governors recently approved its 11-year media rights deals with Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video. Warner Bros. Discovery received all three contracts on Wednesday, triggering a five-day period to decide whether to match Amazon's offer.

The new media deals, collectively valued at $76 billion, will begin with the 2025-26 season. They include a game being aired or streamed nationally every night during the second half of the season. The Amazon package would have featured games on Thursday nights after NFL games, with additional games on Friday and Saturday.

Turner Sports is expected to carry games on Thursday nights, with other games streamed on Max. Amazon Prime Video did not comment on Turner's decision to match its offer.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav had previously remarked during an RBC Investor Conference in November 2022 that Turner and WBD “don't have to have the NBA.” Despite this, Turner and WBD were unable to reach a deal during the exclusive negotiating period that ended in April. Zaslav and TNT Sports Chairman/CEO Luis Silberwasser indicated in recent months that they intended to match one of the offers.

WBD stated, “We're proud of how we have delivered for basketball fans by providing best-in-class coverage throughout our four-decade partnership with the NBA. In an effort to continue our long-standing partnership, during both exclusive and non-exclusive negotiation periods, we acted in good faith to present strong bids that were fair to both parties.” The statement continued, “Regrettably, the league notified us of its intention to accept other offers for the games in our current rights package, leaving us to proceed under the matching rights provision, which is an integral part of our current agreement and the rights we have paid for under it.”

Sources told The Associated Press that Amazon's offer included a provision to pay several years in advance into an escrow account, which some thought would make it difficult to match. However, WBD has assured the league that it has the financial resources to meet this provision.

WBD is currently paying $1.4 billion per season under its existing nine-year deal, which expires after the upcoming season.

Retaining the NBA is crucial for WBD, as losing the league would likely affect its ability to maintain current subscriber fees with cable and satellite companies. It would also ensure the continuation of the popular "Inside the NBA" show, which Charles Barkley has announced he plans to retire from after the next season.

The NBA is expected to finalize the media deals this week. ESPN and ABC will retain the top package, including the NBA Finals and conference finals each year. NBC and WBD will alternate broadcasting one of the conference finals series. NBC's return to broadcasting NBA games for the first time since 2002 will give the league two broadcast network partners.