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The NBA media deal negotiations are a fascinating insight into what the leagues are looking for in a media deal as the world continually gets more digital. Linear television and who can get the most people no longer appear to be the primary focus of these deals, especially the NBA. This article lays out why Comcast is such an important and interesting player in this battle for the final spot. Instead, the focus is now on collecting as much data on the consumer as possible. That is what streaming services provide. The NFL got tons of data from the TNF deal and will continue getting data from the wild card game on Peacock. This data is worth more than a normal person may think on the business level. Amazon and ESPN/Disney already appear to have deals in place for the next NBA media deal, so it is between WB Discovery/TNT and Comcast/NBC/Peacock. TNT is the traditional broadcaster who, while having the streaming service, does not have the financial power or the data-gathering of Comcast/NBC/Peacock. The latter, meanwhile, has a greater ability to collect data, has more money and is much more stable in terms of ownership. The results of this WB Discovery vs Comcast war will showcase where the future of sports broadcasting is heading. Keep your eyes out for what happens.

In the high-stakes game of sports media, Charles Barkley just pulled off a double-pump fake that would make Michael Jordan proud. After threatening retirement in June, Sir Charles has decided to stay put at TNT. Why? Because loyalty still matters in the age of streaming wars. That, and TNT's craft services table. Key points: ☑ Barkley signed a 10-year, $210M deal with TNT in 2022 ☑ TNT Sports U.S. is battling in court to retain National Basketball Association (NBA) rights ☑ ESPN, NBC, and Amazon all tried to poach the Hall of Famer Barkley's market value? A cool $25-30M per year as a free agent. But he's sticking with his "family" at TNT, proving that relationships trump raw economics... for now. Plus, where else can he find a platform to showcase his "guarantees" that are about as reliable as a chocolate teapot? The plot twist: TNT might lose NBA rights after this season. If that happens, Barkley has an opt-out clause faster than his sprint to the buffet line. The bottom line: In a world where tech giants are rewriting the rules of sports broadcasting, Barkley's move is a powerful reminder: Content is king, but the court jester still wears the crown. And in Chuck's case, it's probably made of nachos. If you think Barkley was outspoken before, just wait. This season's "Inside the NBA" will be must-see TV. Grab your popcorn. Chuck already has. Front Office Sports has more:

Sports media is transforming before our very eyes. Last week saw the first round of the NFL draft, and with it, Pat McAfee's 5th Annual Draft Spectacular live streamed on YouTube. Pat drew 2.2 million viewers to his show, peaking at 322k concurrent viewers. The official NFL YouTube stream drew 888k viewers, peaking at around 30k concurrent (h/t Reed Duchscher for the stats) The comment sentiment gives you an insight into then reasons why: - “This was the most entertaining draft coverage I've ever seen in my 30+ years of religiously watching the NFL draft” - “Usually the NFL draft coverage is like watching paint dry til your team picks, but I was absolutely fascinated by every minute of this broadcast” - “This show was soooooooo much better than the actual draft!” Pat and the team craft an experience that is truly optimised for social and engagement. And there is clearly a huge audience who value a product totally different from what they can watch on TV. Personalised, dynamic, fun. The official NFL was something you could see on TV. It looked like an afterthought. With an average of 12m viewers on TV, it’s clear this still dominates eyeballs for the draft, but alternative sister live programming will eat away at this market share over the next 5 years. And this movement will affect EVERY SINGLE SPORT. Rights-holders and broadcasters will do well to try and ensure these are associated products, vs produced independently. Pay attention. Don’t get left behind #sportbiz #sportsindustry #fanengagement

THIS IS SHEER LUNACY! 😡 ESPN, yet again proves it has completely lost touch with reality. In a WTF moment, news just leaked by Andrew Marchand on X, the once prestigious network, the so-called leader in sports, show how big of a joke it has become by announcing the firing of the BEST writer/podcaster about the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the world, Zach Lowe. In what is being a cost-cutting maneuver, coming off the heels of NBA Insider extraordinaire Adrian Wojnarowski retiring from atop his perch on the industry, THIS is how they felt their coverage of the sport would bets be served? I, along with seemingly everyone else, has been totally blindsided by something we didn't even think was a remote possibility. At this point, what is even a single alluring factor about their coverage of the NBA going ahead? First, they clipped the best announcer in the game when they pushed aside Jeff Van Gundy before last season, and now they do the same to the person literally with the most pull with fans and listeners alike. It's simply abhorrent leadership by James Pitaro who has made misstep after misstep for years now. The network I grew up on, that was by far the coolest on television and sports, in the 90's and early 00's, is dead and gone. This is black day for Hoops Heads. https://lnkd.in/ee5XwHN3 #ESPN #ZachLowe #CostCutting #TerribleMove #DownWithESPN #Trash

Part of TNT's "Inside the NBA", Charles Barkley is retiring from television. But do you believe him? The reasons behind his decision aren't exactly clear, but one thing is: the NBA's next media rights deal is a microcosm of the shifting landscape of sports media. Money talks. His announcement comes at a particularly intriguing time for the NBA. The league is on the cusp of a monumental shift, as negotiations for its next round of media rights deals are underway. These deals, slated to begin in the 2025-26 season and boasting a record $76 billion price tag over ten years, will undoubtedly reshape the NBA landscape. Slam dunk or getting dunked? Media giants Disney/ABC/ESPN, Amazon, NBC, and Warner Bros. Discovery are all vying for a piece of this lucrative pie. But, there's a significant possibility that Warner Bros. Discovery could be left out in the cold, potentially leading to the demise of NBA games on TNT and Barkley's "Inside the NBA" program. Change...content creators are more like, "Keep the change, ya filthy animal!" The same can be said for the media industry. From newsrooms to bloggers in their garages, changes are afoot and not in a good way. For broadcasters and on-air talent, the rising cost of entry for live sporting events due to big tech and streaming services has a mixed impact. While the potential benefits from increased investment and prestige are obvious, concerns about pressure, job security, and content accessibility will go up exponentially as you add more zeroes to these media deals. With these big "show me the money" deals come with even bigger "show me the ratings" pressure. The pressure to deliver ratings and audience engagement can be immense, potentially leading to a homogenized and less critical approach to sports coverage as broadcasters prioritize entertainment over in-depth analysis. Consolidation within the industry, where fewer companies control more rights, could also impact job security for on-air talent and behind-the-scenes personnel. Calling play-by-play for dodgeball on ESPN8: The Ocho isn't a long-term gig. While Barkley doesn't fall into the group, the focus on big personalities on exclusive streaming platforms could limit opportunities for up-and-coming broadcasters. And with all this going on, there's a paradox at work. While everyone will be under pressure to deliver higher rates, content restrictions could decrease accessibility for fans without subscriptions, hurting overall viewership and public engagement with sports, which ultimately affects broadcasters who rely on larger audiences. While Barkley's retirement is a significant moment, it may simply be a temporary blip in the grand scheme of the ever-evolving sports media landscape. However, for sports fans and the industry itself, it marks a distinct turning point – a passing of the ball, whether readily embraced or not https://lnkd.in/g7wuFsA3 #charlesbarkley #espn #tnt #sports #streaming #nba #media #television #broadcasting

1) Fox Corporation reaps benefits from its news/sports strategy. 2) The ad market for live sports is busier than ever. 3) A couple of sports biz all stars served as honorary captains for Michigan's football team last weekend. 4) Why did NASCAR pick Mexico City as the place to have its first international Cup race? 5) Nobody knows what will happen to NBA TV or NBA Digital Plus, Bill Cohan's excellent piece on the future of Comcast’s cable networks. https://lnkd.in/eH_m7Z3G

Despite the incontestable excellence of female athletes across the world, there is still a massive disparity in the media coverage they receive. Did you know that 85% of total television coverage focuses on men’s sports? And that’s only in the last 5 years as women’s sports coverage has tripled. It’s time to close the coverage gap. And that's exactly what Disney+ plans to do. Enter the #CaitlinClark effect. An athlete who’s changing the game for women’s sports, literally. She’s broken every record and shows no signs of slowly down, selling out stadiums and driving up ticket prices. Women’s sports are projected to rake in over $1 billion in revenue in 2024, setting a new revenue record. Simply put, women’s sports are good business. Today marks Caitlin Clark’s first regular season WNBA game 🏀 It will air on Disney+, the network's first-ever live sporting event. Make sure to tune in! Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern/4:30 p.m. Pacific today, broadcast on ESPN2 and Disney+.

Brands need to stop looking at the short-term bottom-line gains and start looking at things in the long run. Here is how sports leagues disregard the needs of consumers for short-term gains, which is ironic since viewers are the ones who made them what these leagues are today. Call me crazy, but there are other ways to spend a Sunday than watching football on TV.  #brand #branding #brandmanagement

It’s been about a week since the news broke, but the shift in the sports media landscape is too significant not to discuss. As I'm sure you've all seen/read, "Inside the NBA" will be making a monumental move from TNT to ESPN and ABC starting in the 2025-26 NBA season. This move comes as part of a settlement between the NBA and Warner Bros. Discovery, ensuring the beloved show continues alongside high-profile NBA games. The show's transition to ESPN is part of a broader agreement that also includes TNT Sports receiving a slate of Big 12 football and basketball games, alongside global rights for certain content. This kind of partnership showcases a fascinating blend of content sharing and production that keeps "Inside the NBA" produced by TNT Sports but broadened through ESPN's extensive network. I know this isn't breaking news, but I believe it's crucial to acknowledge the complexities and the strategic maneuvers involved in such deals. Many have covered this topic, yet it's clear the discussions around the implications for sports broadcasting, content distribution, and fan engagement continue to evolve. I do think this move raises important questions about the future strategies of other networks and digital platforms. How will traditional and new media continue to negotiate the blending of content creation and distribution? Would love to hear your thoughts on how you see these developments influencing the sports media landscape. How do you think ESPN handling such a culturally significant show will impact the network and its viewers?

Some time ago, I got a book in my hands “You Are Looking Live”, thanks to Rob Wussler. I got to know the US is about the show first and then sport. For instance, during Super Bowl II in 1968, a technical glitch caused a significant portion of the broadcast to be lost for many viewers. This incident underscored the critical role of live broadcasting and the need for effective visual communication to engage the audience. The book is fascinating because it takes you behind the scenes of how sports broadcasting became what it is today. It talks about how The NFL Today was built from scratch into a cultural phenomenon, and how the first Black and female co-hosts on a sports show broke barriers, setting global standards. The managers and teams were absolutely dedicated to what they did - true pioneers in the industry. Reading this also made me understand the importance of visualisation for people and any visual representation. Whether it’s a game, a story, or even a project, how you present it visually can make all the difference. The pioneers in this book didn’t just tell stories - they made sure people could see and feel them, making the experience unforgettable. And what heights people achieved – The NFL Today won its time slot each year from 1975 to 1993. The stories, the innovation, and the lessons from this book stick with you. It’s not just about sports; it’s about how you make people connect with what you’re presenting. #sportsbroadcasting #TheNFLToday #LiveBroadcasting