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NBA Agrees to Terms on a Record 11-year, $76 billion Media Rights Deal

The deal, which set NBA records for both its length and total value, goes into effect for the 2025-26 season. - The AP
The deal, which set NBA records for both its length and total value, goes into effect for the 2025-26 season. - The AP
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NBA Agrees to Terms on a Record 11-year, $76 billion Media Rights Deal

The deal, which set NBA records for both its length and total value, goes into effect for the 2025-26 season. - The AP
The deal, which set NBA records for both its length and total value, goes into effect for the 2025-26 season. - The AP

The NBA has agreed to terms on its new media deals, a record 11-year agreement worth $76 billion that would assure player salaries will continue rising for the foreseeable future and one that will surely change how some viewers access the game for years to come.

A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that the networks have the terms sheets, with the next step being for the league's board of governors to approve the contracts.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because they weren’t at liberty to discuss such impending matters.

There is a board of governors meeting in Las Vegas next week, coinciding with NBA Summer League, and it would seem logical that the deals — if they get through various committees and obtain other approvals — may be finalized around that time.

The NBA did not comment Wednesday.

The deal, which set NBA records for both its length and total value, goes into effect for the 2025-26 season. Games will continue being aired on ESPN and ABC, and now some will be going to NBC and Amazon Prime. TNT Sports, which has been part of the league’s broadcasting family since the 1980s, could be on its way out, but has five days to match one of the deals.

The five-day clock would begin once the league sends the finished contracts to TNT.

The Athletic was the first to report on the contracts.

ESPN and ABC will continue to have the league's top package, which includes the NBA Finals and one of the conference finals series. ABC has aired the NBA Finals since 2003. ABC would continue to air games on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons when the NFL's regular season ends.

ESPN’s main nights would continue to be Wednesday with some Friday and Sunday games.

Exclusivity of the Finals comes with a big price increase. Walt Disney Company, which owns ESPN and ABC, will pay $2.6 billion per year under the new contract compared to $1.4 billion in its current deal.

The return of NBC, which carried NBA games from 1990 through 2002, gives the league two broadcast network partners for the first time.

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South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
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South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)

South Korea expressed regret that its delegation of athletes at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday was introduced as from rival North Korea and has demanded assurances from organizers the mistake will not happen again.

As the boat carrying South Korean athletes passed on the Seine, the announcer introduced them as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" - the official name of North Korea - in French and English.

The announcer used the same introduction when the North Korean delegation passed.

South Korea's vice minister for sports and culture, Jang Mi-ran, who was in Paris, had requested a meeting with International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach, the ministry said in a statement.

"We express regret that the country was introduced as North Korea at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games when the athletes of the Republic of Korea were entering," it said.

South Korea's National Olympic Committee immediately referred the incident to the Games' organizers and requested that the error will not be repeated.

South Korea's delegation includes 143 athletes competing in 21 events. North Korea, which is returning to the Games for the first time since Rio 2016, has sent 16 athletes.