ProSiebenSat.1, the German commercial broadcaster, has picked up free-to-air (FTA) rights to North American basketball’s NBA in the DACH region ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Under the deal, over 50 regular-season games, as well as playoff and finals matches, will be aired across the broadcaster’s ProSieben and ProSieben MAXX channels in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
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As part of its coverage, ProSiebenSat.1 will regularly show NBA games in prime-time slots on Saturdays and Sundays under the “ran” brand.
Daniel Rosemann, managing director of ProSiebenSat.1, said: “The NBA stands for great sport at the highest level and inspires millions of fans worldwide. The best basketball players in the world can now be seen on our channels.
“That’s great and with two games a week on a regular basis for the first time in Germany free TV is the case.”
Bastien Lacheny, vice president of NBA Europe and Middle East, global media distribution, said: “There is incredible momentum right now around the topic of basketball in and around Germany, and through this TV partnership we will be able to convey the fascination of the NBA to even more fans.”
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By GlobalDataThe rights come on the back of the German national team being crowned champions at the FIBA World Cup in Manila, the Philippines, last month, with the final match watched by an average domestic audience of 4.6 million viewers via German public-service broadcaster ZDF.
ZDF struck an 11th-hour deal to sub-license the FTA rights for the final from rightsholder Deutsche Telekom, the German telecoms giant, after Germany defeated the US in the semi-final. Games involving Germany were shown for free by Deutsche Telekom in the country on its MagentaSports platform – but there was no live television coverage until the final.
Four members of Germany’s World Cup-winning team play in the NBA – Franz and Moritz Wagner (Orlando Magic), Dennis Schröder (Toronto Raptors), and Daniel Theis (Indiana Pacers). Other German players who feature in the league include Maximilian Kleber (Dallas Mavericks) and Isaiah Hartenstein (New York Knicks).
Sports streaming service DAZN, meanwhile, holds the main rights package to NBA games in Germany after renewing its deal last week. Under that agreement, DAZN will broadcast more than 200 games, around seven live per week, while more than 40 weekend games will be played in prime time for European audiences at 7pm (CET) on Saturdays and Sundays.
DAZN will also show the marquee Christmas Day games, the All-Star Game, the playoffs, and finals, as well as the NBA Draft.
The 2023-24 NBA regular season is due to start on October 24 and run until April 14, 2024.
Meanwhile, cognac brand Hennessy has announced a multi-year extension to its global marketing partnership with the NBA.
The agreement covers the NBA, WNBA, development league NBA G League, USA Basketball, and the Basketball Africa League, and will see Hennessy’s brand feature at various NBA events and experiences, including All-Star and Summer League, as well as at NBA Global Games.
As part of the renewal, Hennessy has launched limited edition NBA-branded bottles.
Laurent Boillot, president and chief executive of Hennessy, said: “This collaboration is not just about shared values but also a strategic alignment with the cultural fabric that defines our fans and communities.”
The NBA is set to stage two international NBA regular season fixtures this season as it looks to expand its presence overseas. The Atlanta Hawks and Orlando Magic will play against each other at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico, while the Brooklyn Nets will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers is scheduled to be held in Paris, France on January 11.
