Warner Bros. Discovery Matched Amazon NBA Package Deal In Paperwork Submitted To League

deadline.com:

Warner Bros. Discovery has notified the NBA that it’s exercising is contractual right to match one of the three bids for an NBA package.

It didn’t say which in a statement today, but Deadline hears it is Amazon’s package worth $1.8 billion a year. “We have reviewed the offers and matched one of them,” WBD said, to “allow fans to keep enjoying our unparalleled coverage, including the best live game productions in the industry and our iconic studio shows and talent, while building on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years. “Our matching paperwork was submitted to the league today.

We look forward to the NBA executing our new contract.” There was nothing about this in today’s statement of course, but Amazon may have offered to put up a big chunk of cash, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons told Puck, covering several years of the deal in escrow.

Deadline hears WBD has a signed letter of credit from banks that would let it do the same. WBD has been a longtime NBA partner, with Turner Sports carrying games for most of the past four decades.