BBC Sport has acquired the UK broadcast rights to live NBA games for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.
The British public service broadcaster will air five regular season fixtures free-to-air, as well as four playoff and finals matchups across its linear TV channels and BBC iPlayer.
The deal kicks off with the clash between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers on Friday 23rd February, which will be shown on BBC One.
In addition to its live coverage, BBC Sport’s app and website will provide regular updates throughout the ongoing campaign as the US basketball league bids to expand its British audience.
Philip Bernie, Interim Director of BBC Sport, said, “Last year we brought live, free-to-air NBA games to our audience. This year we now have some of the biggest games of the season, showcasing the NBA’s brightest stars, and fans can also keep across the action on our website and app.”
Bastien Lacheny, Vice President of Global Media Distribution at NBA Europe and Middle East, added, “We are excited to bring NBA basketball back to the BBC. Fans in the UK will be able watch live action across BBC platforms as part of our commitment to making NBA games and programming available to our passionate fans on the devices and platforms they use most.”
The agreement marks the second successive season where BBC has acquired live NBA broadcast rights, after striking a deal for five regular season games last year, including the Paris fixture between the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons.
TNT Sports currently holds the exclusive pay-TV rights to the NBA in the UK and Ireland. Since launching last July, the joint venture between BT Sport and Warner Bros Discovery obtained rights to more than 250 live NBA games during the 2023/24 season.
The deal saw TNT Sports take the broadcast rights back from Sky Sports, which had acquired them in 2018.
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