2025-26 NBA Season Broadcasts: NBC Returns, Amazon Debuts & Enhanced Viewing

The 2025-26 NBA season brings new broadcast partners and new ways to watch games all season long

The 2025-26 NBA season introduces significant changes in its media partnerships, marking the start of an 11-year agreement involving Disney (ABC/ESPN), NBCUniversal (NBC/Peacock), and Amazon (Prime Video). This season promises expanded national coverage throughout the week, enhanced viewing experiences through innovative features, and marquee basketball events presented across multiple platforms. Fans will enjoy a rich broadcast schedule with star-studded matchups from Opening Night through the NBA Finals, ensuring comprehensive access to NBA action via traditional and streaming platforms.

Key Points:

• The NBA returns to NBC for the first time since 2002, with NBC and Peacock broadcasting 100 regular-season games, NBA All-Star Weekend, and multiple playoff contests.
• ABC/ESPN continues as a primary broadcaster with 80 regular-season games and exclusive rights to the NBA Finals, introducing the Emmy-winning "Inside the NBA" studio show.
• Amazon Prime Video debuts as a broadcast partner, streaming 66 regular-season games, exclusive playoff play-in tournaments, and the Emirates NBA Cup knockout rounds.
• NBA League Pass remains available for all games not covered nationally or in local markets, with Amazon as its primary digital distributor.
• National broadcasts will be scheduled across all days of the week starting midseason, featuring comprehensive NBA coverage on ESPN/ABC, NBC/Peacock, and Prime Video.

---

Overview of the 2025-26 NBA broadcast partnerships

The 2025-26 NBA season initiates a robust new media rights package spanning 11 years, featuring three key partners: Disney's ABC/ESPN, NBCUniversal's NBC/Peacock, and Amazon's Prime Video. Each broadcaster assumes designated roles for regular season games, playoff coverage, and marquee events, diversifying how fans engage with NBA content.

ABC/ESPN

ABC/ESPN, celebrating its 24th consecutive season with NBA coverage, will broadcast 80 regular season games including the highly anticipated NBA Christmas Day games. The networks will cover roughly 18 playoff games in the first two rounds and most notably, maintain exclusive rights to broadcast the NBA Finals for the majority of the contract period. A major highlight this season is the integration of the critically acclaimed “Inside the NBA” studio show from TNT, now serving as pregame, halftime, and postgame programming for selected games on ESPN and ABC.

NBC/Peacock

NBC marks the NBA's triumphant return to its airwaves after a 22-year hiatus, starting October 21 with the season opener doubleheader between the Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Lakers. Collectively, NBC and Peacock will deliver 100 regular season games and approximately 28 games in early playoff rounds. NBC will air Sunday primetime "Sunday Night Basketball" from February through April and six NBA All-Star Weekend events. Peacock's streaming platform will present innovative features like the Performance View and interactive ScoreCard, enhancing fan engagement through real-time stats and interactivity.

Prime Video

Making its inaugural NBA season debut, Amazon Prime Video will stream 66 regular season games, hosting key events such as the Knockout Rounds and Championship Game of the Emirates NBA Cup and exclusive coverage of the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament. Prime Video expands the viewing options by providing features such as Customizable Multiview (watching up to four games simultaneously), Numbers Game (live stats integration), and Rapid Recap for latecomers. Prime Video will also feature a new studio with well-known analysts and commentators joining the broadcast team.

NBA League Pass

NBA League Pass continues as the definitive platform offering access to all games not televised nationally or blacked out locally. Accessible via cable, satellite, the NBA App, and NBA.com, it leverages Amazon as its primary digital distributor, facilitating a seamless fan experience across devices.

---

Daily broadcast schedule and key game nights

Beginning midseason, national NBA broadcasts will fill every day of the week:

• Sunday: Afternoon games on ESPN/ABC; evening games on NBC/Peacock
• Monday: Peacock exclusive broadcasts
• Tuesday: NBC and Peacock doubleheaders
• Wednesday: ESPN doubleheaders
• Thursday: Amazon Prime (starting midseason)
• Friday: Amazon Prime and ESPN (starting midseason)
• Saturday: Afternoon on Amazon Prime and nighttime on ESPN/ABC (starting midseason)

This dispersed schedule ensures regular high-profile NBA content throughout the entire week, catering to diverse fan preferences across broadcast and streaming platforms.

---

NBC & Peacock: The NBA's return to NBC

The return of NBA on NBC is underscored by the classic “Roundball Rock” theme song and a fresh programming slate:

• Opening Night doubleheader on October 21 featuring marquee teams.
• Regular broadcasts on Sunday evenings beginning February 1 (excluding some hiatuses), Mondays, and Tuesdays.
• “Coast 2 Coast Tuesday” broadcasts providing dual games catering to different time zones.
• Comprehensive NBA All-Star Weekend coverage including Rising Stars, Saturday Night, and the All-Star Game.
• On-air talent includes Mike Tirico, Noah Eagle, Reggie Miller, and Carmelo Anthony among others.
• Peacock's interactive features, such as Performance View and ScoreCard, enhance engagement.
• Introduction of “Courtside Live” for immersive fan experiences and “On the Bench” analyst courtside access.

---

ABC & ESPN: Continuity with fresh enhancements

Continuing its significant role, ABC/ESPN starts with opening week doubleheaders on October 22-23 featuring top rookies Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper. Key broadcast features include:

• Regular game nights on Wednesday and Friday (ESPN), with Saturday and Sunday (ESPN/ABC) at midseason.
• Traditional marquee events such as Thanksgiving Eve tripleheaders and the iconic Christmas Day games.
• Launching ESPN's new direct-to-consumer streaming service offering all games.
• Return of lead play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and analysts Tim Legler and Richard Jefferson.
• Incorporation of the “Inside the NBA” studio show to provide analysis with hosts Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kenny Smith.
• Saturday Primetime coverage on ABC hosting high-profile matchups.
• Sunday Showcase on ABC featuring marquee games in February and March.

---

Amazon Prime Video: New streaming frontier for NBA fans

Prime Video's partnership introduces a fresh streaming platform with unique content and viewing innovations:

• Debut broadcast on Oct. 24 featuring Knicks vs. Celtics and Timberwolves vs. Lakers doubleheader.
• Regular broadcasts on Fridays expanding to Thursdays and Saturdays midseason.
• Exclusive coverage of Emirates NBA Cup knockout rounds and championship on Dec. 16.
• Sole broadcaster of the SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament in April.
• Notable commentators including Ian Eagle, Kevin Harlan, Steve Nash, Dwyane Wade, and Candace Parker.
• Innovative viewing features such as Customizable Multiview and Rapid Recap for missed action.
• New studio facility hosting pregame and postgame coverage with analysts like Dirk Nowitzki and Blake Griffin.

---

Season opener and marquee matchups

The 2025-26 NBA season officially tips off with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder hosting the Houston Rockets on NBC and Peacock, followed by the big Lakers-Warriors rivalry game. LeBron James and Luka Dončić will play together on the Lakers team, drawing significant national attention. Other top teams heavily featured on national TV include the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Denver Nuggets.

Meanwhile, some teams such as the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, and New Orleans Pelicans have limited national broadcast exposure this season.

---

Comprehensive fan access and viewing options

Fans will have numerous options to follow NBA action:

• Broadcast games on ABC, ESPN, NBC, Peacock, and Prime Video covering marquee matchups and regular season contests.
• NBA League Pass for all non-national or local blackouts.
• Streaming options via ESPN App, NBA App, and NBA.com.
• ESPN Radio and ESPN Deportes for audio and Spanish-language coverage.
• Enhanced interactive features across platforms to engage viewers more deeply.

---

Conclusion

The 2025-26 NBA season ushers in a dynamic new era of broadcasting marked by the return to NBC, expansion into streaming with Amazon Prime Video, and sustained excellence from ABC/ESPN. Fans can enjoy a full week of nationally televised games, innovate interactive features, and comprehensive playoff coverage culminating in the NBA Finals exclusively on ESPN/ABC. This season promises rich basketball entertainment, classic rivalries, and new ways to experience the game for a global audience.

Questions and answers

Q: 2025-26 NBA broadcast schedule

A: The 2025-26 NBA broadcast schedule will feature regular season games, playoffs, and the NBA Finals spread across various national and regional networks. Key games, including marquee matchups and the All-Star Weekend, will typically be scheduled on weekends and prime-time slots. Exact dates and times will be released closer to the season start but expect the season to begin in October 2025 and conclude with the Finals in June 2026.

Q: Where to watch NBA games 2025-26

A: To watch NBA games in the 2025-26 season, fans can tune into national broadcasters such as ESPN and TNT for wide coverage including the playoffs. Regional sports networks will carry local team games, while streaming options via official NBA platforms and partner services will offer live and on-demand viewing. Checking local listings and NBA's official website will provide the most accurate information on where to watch specific games.

Q: NBA broadcast partners 2025-26

A: The NBA broadcast partners for the 2025-26 season include major networks like ESPN and TNT, which hold national broadcasting rights for regular season, playoffs, and Finals coverage. Regional sports networks across various markets will continue to provide coverage of local team games. Additionally, digital platforms and streaming services may also partner with the NBA to offer live game streams and related content.

Q: Stream NBA games on Amazon Prime

A: Amazon Prime has started streaming select NBA games in recent seasons, often including exclusive content such as Thursday night games under the 'NBA Friday Night' or similar branding. Starting from the 2023-24 season, Amazon Prime Video secured rights to stream a limited number of NBA games live. For the 2025-26 season, viewers subscribed to Amazon Prime may have access to select live NBA games, depending on the agreements in place at that time.

Q: NBA games on NBC and ESPN

A: As of recent NBA seasons, ESPN is a primary national broadcaster for NBA games, covering regular season matchups, playoffs, and the NBA Finals. NBC, however, no longer holds NBA broadcasting rights since the mid-2000s after ESPN and TNT became the main national TV partners. Therefore, NBA games can currently be watched on ESPN but not on NBC, which focuses on other sports programming.

Key Entities

Disney: Disney is a leading global entertainment company known for its film studios, theme parks, and media networks. It plays a significant role in the streaming market with its Disney+ platform.

NBCUniversal: NBCUniversal is a major American media and entertainment company that operates the NBC television network and the Peacock streaming service. It produces a diverse range of content including news, sports, and entertainment programming.

Amazon: Amazon is a global e-commerce and technology company that also operates the Amazon Prime Video streaming service. It has increasingly invested in original content to compete within the entertainment industry.

ABC/ESPN: ABC is a major broadcast television network owned by Disney, while ESPN is a leading sports television network also under Disney’s ownership. Together, they provide a wide range of entertainment and sports programming to American audiences.

NBC/Peacock: NBC is a major American broadcast television network owned by NBCUniversal, and Peacock is its associated streaming platform. Peacock offers a mix of live TV, original shows, and a vast on-demand library.

External articles

• As League Takes Over Ops, NBA TV and NBA App Add 60 ...
• Xfinity named official TV Service Provider of the NBA and ...
• Xfinity named Official TV Service Provider of the NBA and ...

YouTube Video

Title: Don't SLEEP on these squads in 2025-26 🤫
URL: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/A4TJUT6h_qI