The NBA’s Broadcast Shakeup: Who’s Winning the Ad Race?

Amazon and NBC have already locked in ad deals with the NBA for next season, positioning themselves ahead in a major media shift. Meanwhile, Disney is taking a slower approach—but not out of the game. According to VARIETY’s Brian Steinberg, Disney has already sold out ad time for the current season and isn’t rushing to ink new deals.

As the NBA prepares to transition its rights from Warner Bros. Discovery to NBC, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video, the league is poised to create one of the biggest shifts in sports media since the NFL moved from CBS to Fox in 1993.

Despite shedding some games, Disney is expected to bring in $1.25B annually from NBA ad revenue, largely due to its continued hold on the NBA Finals. NBC could generate $1B+, while Amazon is projected to reach $750M. The competition underscores how vital live sports remain to media giants’ strategies, with Amazon and NBC also bundling the NBA with other top-tier sports content to maximize value.