NBC Pushes Basketball to Viewers Months Ahead of NBA Deal Start

variety.com:

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor NBC won’t start telecasting NBA games until the fall of this year, but it’s already starting to talk about what will happen when it does.

Viewers of “Sunday Night Football” are slated to see a promo in the middle of Sunday night’s game in which actor Jack McBrayer reprises his popular “30 Rock” character Kenneth the Page while surrounded by popular NBA players Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, and Victor Wembanyama.

The purpose of the pitch is to tell viewers that NBA games are coming to NBC and its Peacock streaming service in the fall. “This is a launch moment,” says Jenny Storms, NBCUniversal’s chief marketing officer for entertainment and sports, during an interview. “We will have consecutive moments that will move over the next ten months.” NBC hasn’t aired NBA games in 23 years.

NBC will use Sunday’s reveal to launch new social-media accounts tied to the NBA. The @NBAonNBC feed will debut on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, and Threads, and will, at least initially, distribute promotional spots, behind-the-scenes content, talent announcements, and conversation about the NBA.