Warner Bros. Discovery strikes major deals with NBA and Disney

Historic agreement ensures long-term collaboration and expands Warner Bros. Discovery’s access to NBA content

PHOTO: ANADOLU AGENCY

Warner Bros. Discovery has reached a settlement in its breach of contract lawsuit against the National Basketball Association (NBA), according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Saturday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The agreement, expected to be announced early next week, ensures that Warner Bros. Discovery will remain a partner with the NBA for the next ten years. Both Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA have yet to comment on the matter outside regular business hours.

The settlement grants Warner Bros. Discovery substantial domestic and international rights to NBA content, while allowing the league to avoid a prolonged courtroom dispute, the report noted.

In a separate development, Warner Bros. Discovery has reached a deal with Disney to licence its Emmy-winning programme Inside the NBA to ESPN and ABC, starting from the next season, the report added.

The lawsuit, filed in July by Warner Bros. Discovery and its sports division, Turner Broadcasting System, stemmed from the NBA awarding broadcasting rights to Disney’s ESPN, Comcast-owned NBCUniversal, and Amazon.com in an 11-year deal valued at $77 billion.

Warner Bros. Discovery alleged that the NBA violated its agreement with Turner by refusing to honour its right to match third-party offers.