The premium American basketball tournament, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has announced a multi-year broadcast partnership with TNT Sports, a joint venture between the media groups, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, and BT Group.
The deal between the two parties will provide fans in the UK and Ireland with access to more than 250 live games as well as a variety of NBA programming exclusively on TNT Sports’ platforms.
On October 24, TNT Sports will begin its NBA coverage with a doubleheader on the first night of play. The reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets will be presented with their championship rings before facing Los Angeles Lakers in a repeat of the Western Conference Finals from the previous season in the first game. The second contest will feature Phoenix Suns taking on Golden State Warriors.
TNT Sports will air the NBA’s major events along with at least nine regular-season games every week, featuring a few matches from the first NBA In-Season Tournament, the NBA Playoffs, the Finals, the NBA All-Star Game, and the NBA Draft.
In addition, TNT Sports will broadcast an additional 40 weekend games in primetime as part of “NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays” during the 2023–24 season. By providing live and on-demand coverage of all matches and content covered by the deal, Discovery+ will establish itself as the NBA’s primary streaming platform in the UK.
Trojan Paillot, Vice President, Sports Rights Acquisitions and Syndication, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said, “We are hugely excited to be embarking on this journey with the NBA in the UK and Ireland. 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, said, “We are thrilled to build on our long-standing collaboration with TNT in the U.S. 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.”
Numerous shows, including NBA highlight reels, original series, and vintage games, will be accessible on TNT Sports’ platforms as an add-on to its live game coverage. Over the season, TNT Sports’ digital and social platforms will offer fans on-demand access to premium content, such as game reports and highlights.
TNT Sports debuted in July 2023, with the goal of being the premier destination for sports enthusiasts. TNT Sports’ streaming home in the UK is Discovery+, which offers an unrivalled package that includes live sports rights and entertainment with a new Premium subscription at the exact same price as a BT Sport Monthly Pass.