ESPN UK Confirms NBA Extension
The NBA has signed an extension to its broadcast agreement with ESPN in the UK, with the renewed deal allowing NBA coverage to return to ESPN UK from 6th December. The channel will then broadcast three live games per week for the remainder of the 2012/13 season.
ESPN will also cover the NBA All-Star Game, First and Second Round NBA Playoffs, the Western Conference Finals, and the NBA Finals.
‘Through our continued partnership with ESPN, fans in the UK and Ireland can look forward to weekly games and an array of NBA programming for the remainder of the 2012-13 NBA Season,’ said Dan Markham, vice president, Media Distribution & Emerging Markets.
Simon Potter, head of programming and production, ESPN EMEA, added: ‘We’re very pleased to have the NBA returning to ESPN this season, and are looking forward to getting straight into the action and bringing UK and Ireland fans the world’s top basketball league with some great early match-ups.’
In the first week of coverage, ESPN will feature some of the top teams and stars from around the league, including multiple members of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team that won gold at London 2012.
This season, the UK is represented by nine-year veteran and NBA All-Star Luol Deng (Chicago Bulls) and rookie Joel Freeland (Portland Trailblazers) as part of the league’s 84 international players from 37 countries.
Accompanying ESPN’s live coverage this season will be ESPN produced studio shows NBA Tonight and NBA Countdown, providing round-ups of all the action from around the league.
