NBCUniversal wants Comcast an NBA package including playoffs for its broadcast network and regular season games for its broadcast platform Peacock, according to CNBC. The interest is likely to be mutual between the NBA and NBC.
Under their current rights deals, ESPN and TNT are paying a combined $24 billion, or $2.6 billion annually. ESPN and TNT have an exclusive negotiation window with the NBA.
Comcast Chairman/CEO Brian Roberts has a rivalry with Disney character Bob Iger.
“Brian Roberts and Bob Iger are personal rivals — as well as business rivals,” noted Matthew Bellone, former editor of The Hollywood Reporter turned co-founder of Puck News.
“If they could make a smart decision for their own company—and pass the other guy off—they would.”
There were reports that Disney could spin off ESPN, but Iger has resisted that idea. The rising costs of live rights could make it difficult for Disney to continue to hold ESPN.
There may come a time when [Iger] Basically forced to sell [ESPN] One of the economics of that business,” Belloni cautioned. “If rights fees keep going up, cable fees keep going down, and the broadcast business doesn’t mature the way they’d hoped, it doesn’t make sense for them to stay in that business.
“But I think Egger wants to stay in this business.”