YouTube For Now Is Focusing More On Refining NFL Sunday Ticket Than On Pursuing NBA Rights, CEO Says

deadline.com:

YouTube CEO Neal Mohan said the video giant is more focused on refining its newest sports experience, NFL Sunday Ticket, than it is in pursuing NBA rights when they become available after the 2024-25 season.

Speaking at Bloomberg’s Screentime event in LA, Mohan didn’t rule out a potential bid but said it isn’t a near-term priority.

Disney/ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery currently share domestic rights but questions have swirled about the future rights arrangement given the recent entry of streaming giants into the live sports business.

At the same time Big Tech has moved in, traditional media companies have been belt-tightening and coping with the shrinking pay-TV bundle, advertising softness and the expense of bolstering their own direct-to-consumer streaming efforts. “We’re taking it one step at a time right now,” Mohan said. “We have the NFL.