The NBA is seeking roughly $1.2 billion from YouTube for a centralized streaming hub that could eventually carry local broadcasts for 29 of its 30 teams, according to Sports Business Journal. The proposed platform could launch in 2027-28 with at least 25 teams, with additional franchises joining over time.
Sports Business Journal reported Friday that the NBA and YouTube remain in advanced discussions over a potential nine-year agreement, including a five-year option. A deal involving 29 teams could command approximately $1.2 billion, while a package of 25 teams or fewer could be valued closer to $850 million.
The league would reportedly distribute the rights fees to individual teams based on local market value rather than splitting the money evenly. That structure would mean franchises such as the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers could receive larger payments than the Memphis Grizzlies or New Orleans Pelicans, while the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks could command even greater value.
The Toronto Raptors are expected to remain outside the arrangement because of their existing long-term relationship with Rogers Communications. The Knicks and Lakers are also among the major unresolved pieces as the league attempts to assemble the largest possible package.
The Knicks’ current intra-company rights fee with MSG for the 2026-27 season is reportedly $110.84 million. One scenario discussed would allow New York to begin by placing approximately 15 games on YouTube before increasing its participation over subsequent years rather than immediately making all local broadcasts exclusive to the platform.
For teams without long-term local media commitments, the NBA’s plan has already influenced contract negotiations. Sports Business Journal reported that free-agent teams are generally signing one-year local television agreements or contracts containing one-year opt-out provisions, preserving flexibility ahead of the proposed 2027-28 launch.
The arrangement would represent another major shift in the NBA’s media strategy following its 11-year, $77 billion national media rights agreements. A nine-year local-rights deal with YouTube, including the reported option period, could also align its expiration with the end of the league’s new national contracts.
YouTube is currently viewed as the favorite for the local-rights package, according to the report, although a failure to reach an agreement could create opportunities for DAZN, ESPN or Amazon. Sports Business Journal reported that some industry sources expect either a deal or a stalemate as early as this fall.
