Netflix is mulling a potential pitch to the NBA that would see it develop a documentary series, a la Formula 1: Drive to Survive, around a live sports package for the league's convoluted but interesting new In-Season Tournament.
The news comes from a usual reliable source, Sports Business Journal, which describes Netflix in the early stages of formulating a pitch to the league.
In March, the NBA will commence a 45-day exclusive negotiating window with current live TV rights holders Disney/ESPN and Warner Bros Discovery/Turner to discuss renewal of a contract that expires after the end of the 2024-25 season in June 2025. Netflix can't talk to the league about the plan until after that window ends.
But it's very possible that these incumbents will take less rights than their previous multi-year, multi-billion-dollar deals -- or perhaps no rights at all -- leaving an opportunity for new TMT interests to negotiate a deal.
It's questionable as to whether the NBA would license a large chunk of regular- or post-season TV rights to Netflix, a company that's just getting into live sports for the first time with its upcoming "Netflix Cup" exhibition golf tournament.
But the ongoing In-Season Tournament -- which is a bracketed, complicated overlay of existing regular-season games, featuring NBA courts painted in gaudy colors -- might be a fit for Netflix.
"This type of deal — a small package of games that it can promote with original programming — appears to be a way for Netflix to get into live sports," writes SBJ's John Ourand.
