With the first round of the NBA Playoffs reaching a conclusion by the end of the week, teams around the Association are vying to advance for a chance to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy victorious as champions. At the same time, it also marks the final live game NBA broadcasts for TNT Sports in the United States ahead of the league officially commencing 11-year media rights contracts with The Walt Disney Company, Comcast Corporation and Amazon. Adam Silver, the commissioner of the NBA for the last 11 years, has discussed the new media rights deal on various occasions, but he expanded on the agreements amid a recent appearance during the latest episode of the Numbers On The Board podcast.
Silver pointed out the value of bringing NBC back into the fold with Peacock, and he claimed that “no one understands digital media better than Amazon does.” Furthermore, he articulated how ESPN is preparing to launch a direct-to-consumer service that will allow users to view broadcasts without a traditional cable subscription, which is expected to be launched in the fall. Aside from underscoring how all NBA national games will be available in a digital format starting next year, he also spoke about the capabilities therein.
“What I think people aren’t talking enough about is when you move to essentially internet television, and that’s what it is,” Silver said. “You have all this new functionality you can bring to it. You can create user-generated content along with the telecast, you can be doing merchandising, you can be doing gaming and betting if that’s what people want – collectibles – you can have multiple camera angles, multiple audio feeds.”
Providing users with a vast array of different broadcasts tailored to viewers searching for specific consumption experiences is something Silver feels will help augment engagement surrounding the game. Whether it is a conversation alternate broadcast, analytically-focused presentation or rudimentary breakdown of the game, he is excited to see what will be taking place as the NBA maintains consistent presence on over-the-air, cable and streaming platforms.
Earlier in the podcast, Silver averred that the manner in which the NBA is being covered has some room for improvement and pointed out the platform of Numbers On The Board in addition to the various entities that cover the league. Furthermore, he explained that Duke University men’s basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski recently outlined his thoughts on media coverage of the league at a recent meeting.
“He said, ‘We should educate people about the game and celebrate the game. Educate and celebrate,’ and I feel I wish there was more of that,” Silver explained. “Sometimes, especially within the four corners of the game, there’s so many different platforms like yours that talk about the game, so many podcasts and blogs and TV shows, etc., so it’s all going to be out there, but I feel like sometimes just in presenting the game to fans that I wish they would talk more about what makes these players so great, and well beyond how talented they are physically that how much work goes into their craft.”
Silver drew a parallel to Enjoy Basketball, the media and lifestyle brand founded by Kenny Beecham that includes the Numbers On The Board podcast. Omaha Audio and ESPN signed a digital content partnership with Enjoy Basketball last January that was reported to consist of developing new digital shows, alternate broadcasts and other branded content. Concurrent with the agreement, the aforementioned podcast was branded to its current title after previously being known as Through The Wire.
“It’s just the joy that this game brings to so many people’s lives that sometimes if you just looked at the coverage — and again, this is not a shot at the media or any particular announcer because that’s their job — but I feel like maybe it’s more the league should be doing to uplift the game, to find ways to celebrate everything about it,” Silver said.
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