Amazon Prime Expected To Be Major Player In NBA’s Broadcast Future (2024)

1. Although Amazon is expected to land the NBA’s “C” package in the upcoming television rights deals that will begin with the 2025-26 season, that designation is in title only because Prime’s haul of games will be significant.

According to a new report from Puck’s John Ourand (last week’s SI Media Podcast guest), Amazon Prime is likely to land a Saturday night window for the regular season. More importantly, though, the streaming service is also expected to gain the rights to first- and second-round playoff games as well as one conference finals series every other year.

It’s expected that Amazon will split the conference finals with either NBC or Warner Brothers Discovery (TNT), while ESPN/ABC will get a conference finals every year in its new deal with the NBA.

Ourand’s report also stated that a decision hasn’t been made yet about whether NBC or WBD will get the NBA’s “B” package.

One thing that seems to be very odd, though, is, according to Ourand, Amazon is expected to pay $1.8 billion per year for the next 11 years ($19.8 billion total).

Meanwhile, NBC has reportedly offered the NBA $2.5 billion per year for the package that doesn’t include an NBA Finals and only has a conference finals every other year. That’s how much NBC wants to stick games on Peaco*ck.

So just to sum up: If NBC got the “B” package and you’re a big-time NBA fan, you will need to pay for some sort of cable package so you get ESPN, you’ll have to pay for Peaco*ck, you’ll have to pay for Amazon Prime and you’ll have to pay for your local games on whatever RSN they will air on.

With all sports splitting their rights deals into multiple parts, that means two things: The leagues make more money and the fans have to spend more money to watch games.

And it’s only going to get worse.

2. This was one of the worst calls I’ve ever seen in the NBA.

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 7, 2024

To make that call in that spot is mind-boggling. Part of being a sports fan is that you complain about the refs. It’s basically a requirement.

But when NBA players and fans are constantly referencing the total joke that is the NBA’s “Last 2-Minute Report,” you have a problem on your hands.

Myles Turner: “I think it’s best when the players decide the outcome of the game.”

“I think we’re all looking forward to the Last 2 Minute Report coming out. I think there were 2 controversial calls. The kick ball by Aaron Nesmith was not a kick ball. You clearly see on replay.” pic.twitter.com/zqiHuV7yrP

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 7, 2024

Last two minute report pic.twitter.com/n56IvKfr6L

— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) May 7, 2024

The Last Two Minute report for this game is going to be a novel

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 7, 2024

My favorite playoff games are when we get to wait for the NBA last 2 minute report to see everything the refs got wrong

— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) May 7, 2024

Last 2 minute report gonna be a novel

— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) May 7, 2024

Might take the NBA a week to go through the last 2 minute report on that one

— Gump Cathcart (@bubbagumpino) May 7, 2024

3. In yesterday’s Traina Thoughts, I ranked Nikki Glaser as the No. 1 roaster at the The Roast of Tom Brady. Glaser appeared on The Howard Stern Show Monday and revealed some of the NSFW jokes that she had, but didn’t use on the Netflix special.

Here are the jokes @NikkiGlaser didn't tell at the @Netflix #TomBradyRoast. pic.twitter.com/QSBYbDCiru

— Stern Show (@sternshow) May 6, 2024

4. What a performance from Green Light’s Chris Long. With rap battles being all the rage these days, Long wanted to go in the opposite direction, and instead put together a tune for his good friend, The Ringer’s Ryen Russillo. Even though Long wanted to do “positive rhymes,” he threw in a verse about Russillo’s 2017 arrest for trespassing.

Timeline hit like Kermit Washington
He’s rude
He passed out, sloppy drunk
There was no forced entry
Cops were stunned
Game plan Tony Bennett
Not to run
Feet set, he took the charge
It was no fun

Tired of diss records. Too much negativity. Doing positive rhymes about other media members until the beefs end. #KissRecords not #DissRecords @ryenarussillo pic.twitter.com/fF6j9s3WWz

— chris long (@JOEL9ONE) May 7, 2024

5. Keith Hernandez played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1974 to part of the 1983 season. He’s in the Cardinals Hall of Fame. And he guest starred on the greatest sitcom of all time.

Yet, on Monday, he couldn’t get into St. Louis’s Busch Stadium.

Keith Hernandez, Cardinals Hall of Famer, briefly had trouble getting into Busch Stadium this afternoon because he had his 2023 badge, which wouldn't scan, so security wouldn't let him pass. He eventually dug his 2024 ID out of his bag.

— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) May 6, 2024

6. The latest episode ofSI Media With Jimmy Trainafeatures an interview with Puck senior correspondent John Ourand about all the latest sports media news. Ourand breaks down the latest reports regarding the NBA’s upcoming television deals and where things stand between the league and ESPN, TNT, NBC and Amazon. Ourand also shares thoughts on how the new TV deals would impact the future of theInside the NBAcrew of Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Shaquille O’Neal.

Ourand discusses the changes at CBS’sNFL Todaywith Boomer Esiason and Phil Simms out and Matt Ryan in, whether the NFL draft would ever move to a Wednesday-Thursday-Friday schedule instead of Thursday-Friday-Saturday, the status of theMarchand & Ourand Podcastand more.

Following Ourand, Sal Licata from WFAN and SNY joins me for the weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week’s topics include an NFL draft shocker, a blow to an MLB superstar, Dave & Buster's allowing gambling, Jerry Seinfeld turning 70 and much more.

Brand new SI MEDIA PODCAST with @Ourand_Puck

- All the latest news on the NBA's TV future with ESPN, TNT, NBC and Amazon

- Future of "Inside the NBA"

- CBS shakes up "NFL Today"

- Should NFL move Draft dayshttps://t.co/c0SbPttxyO

— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) May 2, 2024

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: Absolutely disgraceful job by me not acknowledging the anniversary of the "Pine Barrens" episode in yesterday’s Traina Thoughts. Every single year, on May 6, that episode of The Sopranos needs to be celebrated. So we’re doing it today because better late than never.

23 years ago today we got one of the best Sopranos episodes in the entire series…titled Pine Barrens:

"He killed 16 Czechoslovakians. Guy was an interior decorator."pic.twitter.com/y13EeX4fCr

— Wu Tang is for the Children (@WUTangKids) May 6, 2024

Be sure tocatch up on past editions of Traina Thoughtsand check out theSports Illustrated Media Podcasthosted by Jimmy Traina onApple,SpotifyorGoogle. You can also follow Jimmy onTwitter,InstagramandTikTok.

Amazon Prime Expected To Be Major Player In NBA’s Broadcast Future (2024)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jerrold Considine

Last Updated:

Views: 5301

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jerrold Considine

Birthday: 1993-11-03

Address: Suite 447 3463 Marybelle Circles, New Marlin, AL 20765

Phone: +5816749283868

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Air sports, Sand art, Electronics, LARPing, Baseball, Book restoration, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.