ESPN dunks with ‘landmark’ NBA and WNBA media rights extension
ESPN will continue to be the primary NBA rights holder in Australia and New Zealand with a “landmark” deal.
On Monday, the sports channel announced it landed a 11-year extension to screen NBA and WNBA games in the region starting in the 2025/26 season.
ESPN is the exclusive broadcast partner for around 240 regular season NBA games, an enhanced game package for the First and Second Round of the NBA Playoffs, all NBA Conference Finals and NBA Finals games.
The WNBA coverage will extend across the WNBA regular season and WNBA Playoffs, including WNBA Semi Final and WNBA Finals series.
“ESPN remains the Home for Hoops in Australia and New Zealand and our continued strength in basketball is a big win for fans,” said Kylie Watson-Wheeler, senior vice president and managing director, The Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand and head of ESPN, APAC.
“ESPN is committed to bringing all the NBA and WNBA action to our highly engaged audiences through our new rights agreement over the long term, coupled with even more hoops programing including NBL, WNBL, NCAA and Australian Boomers and Opals.”
Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, added: “ESPN has been part and parcel of the growth and coverage of the NBA over the past 22 years. And we are eager to build on this terrific partnership, which is one of the league’s most extensive and longest-standing relationships.”
The news comes just weeks after Amazon Prime Video also announced an 11-year media rights agreement with the NBA, which will see the streamer present exclusive global coverage of 66 regular-season NBA games, including an opening week doubleheader, a new Black Friday NBA game, and all games from the Knockout Rounds of the Emirates NBA Cup, including the in-season tournament’s Semifinals and Finals.
Subscribe to the daily newsletter
Linkedin
Have your say