NBC planning $2.5B-per-year bid for NBA package

NBCUniversal is "prepared to pay" an average of about $2.5B a year to air a package of NBA games as rival Warner Bros. Discovery "makes last-ditch efforts to keep those rights," according to sources. WBD's TNT has paid an average fee of $1.2B under its current deal. The package NBCUniversal is bidding on "would include playoff and regular season games that would appear on the NBC network, as well as its Peacock streaming service." NBC has discussed "carrying two prime-time games a week," something WBD "can’t offer." Meanwhile, Disney is "expected to pay" an average per-year fee of about $2.6B to renew its deal, sources said, up from about $1.5B a year now. Amazon’s Prime Video has "already reached the outlines" of a streaming rights deal with the NBA. Disney’s ABC is also "on track to retain the rights to the NBA Finals," according to sources (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 4/29).

RELATED: Many possibilities for NBA rights as market opens

RELATED: ESPN, TNT can match any new deal NBA reaches with third party