Adam Silver is reportedly aiming for an NBA’s local streaming hub to launch by 2027-28. According to a report by Sports Business Journal, YouTube is the leading candidate to host it.
What We Know: According to the report by SBJ, the 13 teams displaced by Main Street Sports Group’s collapse will sign one-year deals this season. The Heat, Pistons and Bucks have already locked in local OTA (over-the-air) contracts. The other 10 teams will pick between free TV and paywalled streaming for their local markets. By 2027-28, the hub could reportedly grow past 20 teams. The additions would be the NBC regional sports network clubs (Philadelphia, Boston, Golden State, Sacramento). In addition, five OTA squads (Utah, Phoenix, Portland, New Orleans, Dallas). League Pass, meanwhile, will remain with Amazon and will still black out local games.
What They Said: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver (via The New York Times): “We’ll cobble together a series of solutions for this season, but I feel good that we’ll have something on a national basis for the following year.”
What Remains Unclear: The NBA has not officially commented on the reporting. There are several teams with their own RSN agreements past the 2027-2028 season. Therefore, it’s also unclear whether those teams will join at all. For instance, the Los Angeles Lakers as set to earn $199 million and $209 million in rights fees over the next two seasons. Their price tag could determine how many marquee teams follow. The hub’s geofencing plan hasn’t been finalized either.
What It Means: With the collapse of the RSN’s nationwide, the NBA is seeking ease of discovery and also highest possible revenue to earn. By creating a hub for all local broadcasts, that could accomplish both for the league. YouTube’s reported edge suggests it wants local NBA rights alongside its existing sports footprint. Still, final pricing and the participant list will decide whether the hub actually unifies local NBA viewing.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.