Amazon Prime to spend $1.8 billion on 67 regular season NBA games

Core Insights - The NBA is returning to NBC for the first time in over 20 years, marking a significant shift in media partnerships for the league [1] - Media rights for marquee sports, particularly basketball and the NFL, have become increasingly expensive, reflecting their high advertising value and sustained popularity [2][3] Media Rights Costs - Amazon is spending $1.8 billion for 95 NBA games this season, averaging about $19 million per game, which is significantly lower than the $67 million per game it pays for NFL games [4][5][6] - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has indicated a desire to escalate the renewal of NFL rights due to the disparity in costs and ratings, suggesting potential for increased revenue [7] Importance of Live Sports - Live sports are crucial for traditional media companies, as they help maintain the cable bundle's viability amidst declining subscriptions [9][10] - Despite millions canceling cable subscriptions, 65 million US households still subscribe to some form of linear network bundle, indicating a substantial market for media companies [10]