Bt Sport Acquires Live NBA Rights
BT Sport has extended its growing rights portfolio with the capture of live and exclusive UK rights to the National Basketball Association, starting this weekend.
The multi-year deal, which begins on Sunday evening with the Indiana Pacers’ game against the Los Angeles Clippers, sees BT take the rights from Sky Sports and ESPN’s UK service, which BT Sport now operates.
The new agreement covers the rights to up to 200 games per season, up to seven per week, and will live-stream selected games for free through its website.
Simon Green, head of BT Sport, said of the deal: ‘BT Sport will be the new home of the NBA in the UK and Ireland. The NBA is simply the best basketball in the world; it is fast moving, high scoring and includes some the world’s most recognisable global sporting icons. Existing NBA fans will love our coverage, and we look forward to converting many more.’
Dan Markham, vice president of media distribution and emerging markets for the NBA, added: ‘Through its innovative multi-platform offering of live NBA games, highlights, magazine shows and unique behind-the-scenes programming, BT Sport is the ideal partner to serve as the official broadcaster of the NBA.’
As part of the deal, BT Sport will also broadcast January’s regular season game in London between the Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks.
The NBA joins BT Sport’s growing rights portfolio that already includes live Premier League football, Premiership rugby, MotoGP, and WTA tennis, with exclusive live UK coverage of the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, from 2015/16.
