Turner Sports Eyes NBA TV
NBA Expected to Pass 24-Hour Network to Turner
By R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 8/24/2007 6:31:00 AM
The National Basketball Association will look to pass its NBA TV basic cable network to one of its cable affiliates – with Turner Sports the likely recipient to run the 12 million-subscriber service.
Sources close to the negotiations say the NBA will turn over the operations of the 24-hour league service to Turner in an effort to drive subscriptions for the network, which offers live NBA games, as well as vintage league content. Neither Turner nor the NBA officials would comment on the matter.
ESPN is also in the running for the service, although ESPN executives would not comment on any potential interest in the network.
Speculation about a network turnover began Aug. 20 when Bloomberg News reported that the league offered buyouts to NBA TV staff in preparation for a then “unidentified media company” to assume operations.
The 12-million network is mostly distributed on sports tiers, but an affiliation with Turner or ESPN – both of which recently signed five-year deals with the league worth a combined $7.4 billion that include distribution of NBA games both on air and via broadband – could provide some carriage leverage for the sports network.
“I think it’s a concession that with only 12 million subscribers, [the NBA] can’t support that big of a production,” said sports TV analyst John Mansell.
New Turner, NBA Campaign Got 'Game'
10/06/2008NBA TV Tips ‘Fan Night’
09/08/2008Turner Seeks NBA Package
10/14/2007NBA All-Star Dunks Digital, Linear Marks
02/20/2009Turner, NBA Campaign Has 'Game'
10/05/2008
