Media rights for the National Basketball Association (NBA) are set to expire at the conclusion of the 2024-25 regular season, representative of a time where the league may try to expand and alter its distribution strategies. Reports have linked a variety of broadcast networks to the Association, which has had its fair share of memorable moments and superstar players over the years. From Stephen Curry to Luka Dončić; LeBron James to Giannis Antetokounmpo; Joel Embiid to Nikola Jokić, many fans believe the future of the league looks bright and have a vested interest in the action.
Consider ESPN one of the networks interested in renewing its rights package with the Association. ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus recently expressed in an interview with Richard Deitsch of The Athletic that the network hopes to continue its relationship with the sport. The statement comes at a time of transition for the property, as ESPN laid off popular NBA commentators Jalen Rose, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy in its round of talent layoffs.
“We want very much to keep it,” Magnus said. “As always with an incumbent property, I’m sure there’s little things – pieces of it – that could be changed or altered throughout the process, but we hope to come out of it with a package that looks pretty similar to what we have now.”
The Walt Disney Company (ESPN/ABC) has been broadcasting the NBA Finals since 2003, with the broadcast crew usually consisting of Mike Breen with Van Gundy and Jackson. For this upcoming season though, the network will enter with a new lead commentary booth of Breen, Doris Burke and Doc Rivers.
“I think for 17 or 18 years we had what was, in my opinion, one of the best booths in all of sports,” Magnus said. “Some of this related to planning for the future and certainly some of it was also to try and realize some savings in our talent-related exercise. We felt like we could assemble not just a team on the “A” game, but we believe we’ve assembled, from top to bottom, a different NBA team that clarifies a bunch of things.”
Part of those changes involves Mike Greenberg leaving NBA Countdown to focus on his other roles at the company, resulting in the network slotting Malika Andrews into the lead hosting role. She will be joined by mainstays Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon, along with four-time NBA Finals-winning executive Bob Myers on the lead crew. ESPN hopes to emerge from its quest to retain the NBA with the Finals fully intact, one of the most valuable parts of the media rights agreement. Magnus went so far as to call it a “must-have” part of any rights acquisition, which is led by Executive Vice President of Programming and Acquisitions, Rosalyn Durant.
