It’s going to be more expensive than ever to watch NBA games for the 2025-26 season.
ESPN and TNT will no longer be the primary broadcasters for NBA games. Instead, four different services will be showing games this season: ESPN, NBC, Peacock and Amazon Prime.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was asked about the rise of NBA streaming costs and he offered a strange response.
Silver stated that several games to watch are free on TV. He also noted that highlights were a big part of the game and could be consumed through social media. Silver even called the NBA a ‘highlights-based sport.’
Brian Windhorst says streaming problem is ‘for the local games’
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst pinpointed the biggest problem when it comes to the rising cost of watching NBA games.
He talked about it with Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.
“I actually think the league has a tremendous answer to this question and Adam [Silver] was prepared on it and kinda was halfway there.
“Which is in here in 2025 and even he said he never would’ve believed this a decade ago there is more games on free tv than there’s been in a generation, he added.
“The streaming problem, the high cost isn’t for the national games, it’s for the local games because in the failure of these RSN’s, $39, $49 bucks a month in some of these cities to get local games, that’s where the problem is.”
Where to watch NBA games after new TV rights deal
Every Monday Peacock will host a double-header, followed by NBC broadcasting two regional games each Tuesday.
On Wednesday nights ESPN will have its regular double-header, while Amazon Prime will broadcast prime time games on Thursday nights after Thursday Night Football concludes.
Amazon will also air double-headers on Friday night, with ESPN sometimes picking up games on Friday.
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ABC will then air prime time games on Saturday night just as they did last year, but Amazon Prime will show daytime games as well.
NBA games on Sunday will be aired on NBC once Sunday Night Football wraps up.
