France: NBA, beIN Sports extend content deal

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and beIN Sports have announced a multiyear expansion of their broadcast and digital partnership that will extend to 2024, marking a decade-long collaboration.

As part of the agreement and ahead of the start of the 2020-21 NBA season that tips off on December 22nd, beIN Sports will also continue to host the NBA’s official online destination in France.

As part of the extension, beIN Sports will broadcast 20 weekend primetime games during the first half of the NBA season as part of NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays presented by NBA 2K21, with the schedule for the second half of the season to be announced at a later date. The Saturday Night Live and Sunday Night Live pregame studio shows also make their return. Additional highlights for the 2020-21 season include:

• Opening-night coverage on December 22nd when the Golden State Warriors visit the Brooklyn Nets and the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers take on the LA Clippers live on beIN Sports 1.
• The NBA XTRA daily show will continue to air live every weekday afternoon on beIN Sports 1, starting on December 21st with a special 2020-21 season tip-off show.
• NBA action including five consecutive live games on Christmas Day, Martin Luther King Day games, the NBA Playoffs, the entire Conference Finals, The Finals and the NBA Draft.

“We are delighted to extend our valued partnership with the NBA in France to 2024.  This new deal perfectly illustrates our balanced approach when selecting content and acquiring rights, in line with our clear and rational business plan,” said Yousef Al-Obaidly, President of beIN Sports France and CEO of beIN Media GROUP. “Since 2012, beIN and the NBA have proudly worked together to develop and grow the NBA in France, including with innovative new events such as The NBA Paris Game 2020 last January.  This latest NBA deal further strengthens the fantastic portfolio of rights we will showcase on beIN SportsFrance over the next 12 months, including EURO 2020, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Wimbledon, NFL, handball, rugby and much more, together with the UEFA Champions League from 2021-22 onwards.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to extend our partnership with beIN SPORTS and enter into a decade-long collaboration,” added Elsa Memmi, NBA EME Vice President, Global Media Distribution. “With the highly anticipated tip-off of the 2020-21 NBA season just around the corner, fans can look forward to intense competition and unmatched talent on a nightly basis.”