Basketball great Reggie Miller confessed in a recent press conference that his “hands start shaking” when he thinks about NBC’s long history of televising NBA games, which began in the 1990s. “I had some of the best moments as a player,” he admitted at NBC, adding that his “hands still get sweaty” when the memories come back.
Now, many people are expecting Miller to make a move when thinking about the next decade of the NBA on NBC.
As well as the former Indiana Pacer, extensive footage of NBA games is coming to NBC from Warner Bros. Discovery’s TNT. It has been broadcast there for nearly 40 years (Miller even helped commentate games before joining NBC). And NBC wants to accelerate the matchup with more potential viewers that executives hope will find the fight on the broadcast network.
“Certain demographics may not be watching NBA games,” said Rick Cordella, president of NBC Sports. “You can get to know the players and personalities better, which can lead to higher broadcast viewership.”
For NBCUniversal, the NBA is about more than just what happens on the court. If executed correctly, the new basketball deal could help transform the company from one best known for “Law & Order” and “Saturday Night Live” to one as closely tied to sports as ESPN or FOX. Even in the streaming era, live sports is the only programming format that still attracts the large concurrent viewers coveted by advertisers and distributors, creating the kind of chatter on social media that unites crowds across different screens. NBC already had deals with the NFL and Major Golf League, but a wave of basketball games and a soon-to-be-announced deal with Major League Baseball could help the company further boost its credibility in sports while spinning off most of its cable network into a separate company and expanding its Peacock streaming service to match the size of those operated by rivals.
Meanwhile, the NBA, like other leagues, is hoping to air more games on its broadcast network after only being able to broadcast games on ABC for a few years. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he expects the three rights holders, NBC, Disney and Amazon, to experiment with streaming and interactive features that will allow viewers to better customize their viewing experience. But he believes broadcasting the game will only bring an even bigger spotlight to the sport, and to NBC. “Live sports are an amazing differentiator,” he says. That’s why it “makes sense” for media companies to invest so heavily to secure rights.
Despite this, the league has struggled in viewership. Even though viewership for the NBA All-Star Game hit a new peak earlier this year, the average number of viewers watching NBA games across Warner properties continued to decline for three seasons, according to Nielsen data. The average viewership for NBA games across TNT and TruTV in the most recent season was about 1.24 million viewers. The number of viewers for the 2022-2023 season games, which were aired exclusively on TNT, reached approximately 1.36 million viewers.
Reggie Miller’s shaky hands are the least of NBC’s worries.
NBC’s new effort to grow basketball’s fan base comes on the heels of a hotly contested Paris Olympics, relying on new elements tied to celebrities and popular culture. The extravagant event marked the first time in years that NBC enjoyed the viewership numbers on both TV and streaming that people have come to expect from the event, following a fallow period in which it was plagued by time slot challenges in Asia, the coronavirus pandemic and other factors.
NBC couldn’t afford to let the Olympics stall. Comcast, the game’s parent company, will owe $7.75 billion in licensing fees between 2021 and 2032, with another $3 billion already pledged through 2036. The NBA now has a similar mandate for networks to broadcast professional basketball in prime time twice a week by next year, fundamentally changing their reliance on traditional scripted programming throughout the year. NBCUniversal is believed to be paying the NBA an estimated $2.5 billion annually for the opportunity to air 100 regular season games. NBA All-Star Game. and an exclusive playoff first round game pass. In a sign of how badly NBC wants this sports deal, the company is paying more for NBA games than its current NFL package, according to estimates by MoffettNathanson, an independent analytics firm.
“It’s clear that NBC is making a significant investment, given the talent they’ve hired, the production innovations they’re implementing, and the marketing and promotion they’ve already rolled out,” said Daniel Cohen, executive vice president of global media rights at Octagon, a sports and talent consultancy.
NBC’s first NBA test will take place on Tuesday, announcing the first of a series of doubleheaders. A game in the East Coast market will be followed by a game in the West Coast market. The NBC station will broadcast the game closest to your time zone, but NBA fanatics can watch both through Peacock no matter where they live. Cordella said it’s not the first time a media company has attempted such a maneuver, but it may be the first to do so during prime time on a weekday. NBC believes this plan will draw in more loyal fans from across the country who want to watch teams play near where they live.
A game starting Tuesday night will help set the tone for an even bigger effort. Peacock will feature NBA games on Monday nights, a move NBC believes will bring younger sports fans under its wing. And starting next year, NBC plans to launch “Sunday Night Basketball” after “Sunday Night Football,” in hopes that NFL fans will continue watching after the league’s season ends.
There are also tough efforts underway to bring casual fans back to the sport. NBC is tapping into nostalgia for earlier NBA days by bringing back Jon Tesh’s “Round Ball Rock” theme and promising an appearance from Michael Jordan as an analyst (the basketball legend should appear on NBC’s opening NBA broadcast, Cordella said). NBA games are poised to gain even more attention as co-anchors Savannah Guthrie and Craig Melvin shine more of a spotlight on sports on NBC’s “Today” show. But the network is also looking for ways to balance the NBA and its entertainment value. For example, an NBA player recently appeared on an episode of “Love Island.” “We’re connecting entertainment with athlete and NBA stories in ways that engage viewers,” said Jenny Storms, chief marketing officer of NBCU’s entertainment and sports division.
No matter how hard the company tries, the game itself will likely be the most important piece of the promotional puzzle. “There may be an opportunity to reach more people who may not be hardcore. We have to keep that in mind while trying not to insult the hardcore,” said Mike Tirico, the lead voice for NBC Sports’ NBA coverage. “Can we provide not only a breakdown of the best X & O, but also a humanly interesting story?” That may not be the first thing offered to the crowds gathered for a cable broadcast.
“We always keep a broader audience in mind,” Tirico adds. Without it, NBC can’t claim basketball victory.
