NBA Streaming Sizzle: Apple & Others Vie for Viewership Post‑Bally Sports Bankruptcy
Buzz alert! Bloomberg just spun the latest headline: Apple and a posse of rivals are huddling over the next big thing—NBA games on streaming. All of this comes after Bally Sports, the long‑time local broadcaster, checked the box and filed for bankruptcy.
Who’s in the Game?
- Disney – Casting a wide net to grab every basketball‑loving fan.
- Amazon – Already streaming everything from grocery to GoPro, now courting hoops.
- YouTube – Ready to upload the slam‑dunks and the trash‑talk.
- Apple – Looking to sprinkle sports into the App Store ecosystem.
- Others, like a mystery tech‑giant, keeping their cards close.
Why It Matters
Picture the NBA as a blockbuster mixtape. When Bally Sports went offline, the tracklist suddenly opened to anyone who could carry enough songs—meaning teams—to make a blockbuster lineup. The league now wants a partner that can pull a critical mass of clubs together, or risk leaving fans scrambling for their favorite teams.
In plain terms: If a streaming service can line up enough NBA franchises, it earns a sweet deal that keeps the league’s games in front of millions. If not, it’ll miss out on the hardwood action and the high‑energy fan engagement that comes with it.
When a Sports League Bankrupts: Diamond Sports Group’s Big Oops
Diamond Sports Group went from saying “we’ve got your game on the air” to “oops, we missed a payment” and found itself in a Chapter 11 filing. The roller‑coaster hit its lowest point when the company couldn’t pay interest, and to boot it fell behind on several MLB contracts – even pulling the plug on one team back in July.
Apple & Friends Are Trying to Make It Right
Apple, along with a handful of other players, is now in talks to roll out a fresh deal that would keep the ball – and the TV – in the air for all 42 teams across MLB, NBA and NHL. The plan is to slot in new agreements that let those teams keep broadcasting their games instead of hanging onto a busted contract.
The Numbers That Make This Grief Real
- Diamond Sports Group is stuck with a whopping $8.6 billion owed for broadcasting rights.
- Those rights cover every single game from the 42 teams spanning three major leagues.
- If the new negotiation flop, each company might just let their own terms dictate the final outcome.
So while the hope is high that Amazon, Apple and others can pull together a win‑win, the risk remains. As long as the big names are negotiating on their own terms, the sky’s the limit – or the payment ledger could hit playground‑sized bottom line.
