Why TNT was always going to lose the NBA to Amazon

Warner Bros.’s lawsuit against the NBA can’t stop the tide. The streaming giants want live sports. The leagues want streaming giants even more.

Last week, the NBA unveiled its new TV rights deal: an 11-year, $77 billion arrangement that will begin with the 2025-26 season. ESPN/ABC will remain the league’s premier broadcast partner, paying $2.6 billion per year for a package that includes the NBA Finals. NBC, which aired most of Michael Jordan’s ruthless eviscerations of the Utah Jazz before losing game rights in 2002, is back in the fold, paying $2.45 billion for a slightly less lucrative programming bundle.