Madison Avenue is chasing the NBA‘s lively action.
Among the brands supporting new NBCUniversal programming linked to an 11-year rights agreement are American Express, State Farm, McDonald’s, Kia, and Wingstop. This deal will feature NBA games on three nights each week aired through the NBC broadcast network or the Peacock streaming platform.
“The appetite for live sports has reached unprecedented levels this past year across our networks, and the NBA is a significant part of that trend,” stated Peter Lazarus, executive vice president of advertising and partnerships for NBC Sports & Olympics. “Advertisers have shown a strong desire to invest across linear, streaming, and digital platforms, contributing to our nearly sold-out inventory.”
NBCUniversal is set to roll out three distinct NBA nights over the coming months. Beginning October 27, Peacock will stream up to three NBA matchups each Monday night during the regular season, accompanied by a half-hour studio program leading into the game. Following this, starting October 28, NBC will host doubleheaders on Tuesday evenings, with one game designated for NBC stations in Eastern and Central time zones, while another will air on NBC in Pacific and Mountain time zones. Both games will also stream live on Peacock, along with a 30-minute studio segment.
Once NBC finishes its Sunday-night NFL schedule, it plans to introduce “Sunday Night Basketball” on both NBC and Peacock starting February 1 of next year, although there may be some interruptions due to Super Bowl coverage, the NBA All-Star Game, and the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The NFL’s exit from the broadcast schedule has opened the door for millions in advertising revenue previously directed towards Warner Bros. Discovery, which had long been a major partner of the NBA. Unable to present an appealing offer to the league, the NBA has instead secured new agreements with NBCU, Amazon, and Disney which are expected to continue through the 2036-37 season. NBCU reported in July that the fresh NBA rights deal has led to a 15% uptick in “upfront” ad investments, with a quarter of its NBA sponsors being new to traditional linear television.
Nearly 170 distinct advertisers are ready to back NBA broadcasts, according to NBC’s Monday update, indicating that “almost all inventory has already been sold.”
American Express will act as the official halftime sponsor for all NBA contests. “The viewership for live sports remains robust, presenting us with a unique chance to connect with the right audiences through engaging content as the NBA returns to NBC,” noted Jill Hamilton, vice president of global media for the financial services firm, observing that the company’s clientele is “deeply enthusiastic about sports.”
Kia will be the primary sponsor for Tuesday doubleheaders, whereas McDonald’s will take on sponsorship for “Basketball Night in America” and “NBA Showtime” on Sunday evenings. State Farm will back “NBA Showtime” on Tuesdays, with Wingstop stepping in for the Monday sponsorship. Xfinity, the cable service from NBCU parent Comcast, will serve as the main sponsor for Monday games on Peacock.
