TNT Sports and NBA sign multi-year live match deal
The NBA and TNT Sports have announced a multi-year agreement to deliver live games and programming to fans in the UK and Ireland.
In addition to at least nine games during each week of the regular season, TNT Sports will broadcast the league’s marquee events, including select games from the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, the NBA Playoffs, the Finals, NBA All-Star and the NBA Draft.
In total, the deal will result in more than 250 live games and a range of NBA programming being made available to fans in the UK and Ireland exclusively on TNT Sports’ platforms.
NBA coverage on TNT Sports will tip-off on Tuesday, October 24 with an opening-night double-header. In the first game, the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets will receive their championship rings before hosting the Los Angeles Lakers in a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Finals (12:30 am UK time). In the second game, the Phoenix Suns will visit the Golden State Warriors (3 am UK time).
In addition to at least nine games during each week of the regular season, TNT Sports will broadcast the league’s marquee events, including select games from the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, the NBA Playoffs, the Finals, NBA All-Star and the NBA Draft.
Throughout the 2023-24 season, TNT Sports will also air more than 40 weekend games in primetime as part of “NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays”, which feature games starting as early as 6 p.m. UK time.
Meanwhile, discovery+ will become the streaming home of the NBA in the UK by offering live and on-demand coverage of all games and programming included in the agreement.
“We are hugely excited to be embarking on this journey with the NBA in the UK and Ireland,” said Trojan Paillot, vice president, sports rights acquisitions and syndication, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe.
“Fans watching basketball on our platforms will have much to look forward to, and we’re privileged to be able to lean on the outstanding foundation of TNT’s broadcasting of the NBA in the United States for over 30 years.
“When TNT Sports launched in July, we reaffirmed that premium rights were a priority for us, and the NBA falls squarely into that category. To have the best players in the world, competing in one of the toughest and entertaining competitions in world sport, is extremely exciting as we further extend our proposition in the UK and Ireland.”
NBA Europe and Middle East vice president, global media distribution, Elsa Memmi, added: “We are thrilled to build on our long-standing collaboration with TNT in the US to bring live NBA games and programming to our passionate fans in the UK and Ireland. With regular weekend games in primetime, extensive coverage of our marquee events, and original programming and highlights, fans now have a new home for the NBA.”
Complementing TNT Sports’ live game coverage will be a host of programming available across its platforms, including NBA highlight shows, original programming and classic games. TNT Sports’ digital and social platforms will also provide fans with on-demand access to premium content throughout the season, including game recaps and highlights.