The NBA’s first season under its new media rights agreements delivered record advertising revenues, with broadcasters and streaming platforms generating $2.11 billion in in-game ad sales during the 2025-26 season.
According to a new report from Guideline, which tracks actual advertising investment across the six major U.S. holding companies and most large independent agencies, NBA in-game advertising revenue increased 38% year over year, up from $1.53 billion in 2024-25.
The $580 million increase was driven largely by higher advertising rates, supported by the league’s expanded reach through its new media distribution model.
$76 billion media deal drives wider reach
The NBA’s new media rights structure is part of an 11-year, $76 billion agreement with Disney’s ABC/ESPN, NBC Sports and Amazon’s Prime Video.
As part of the new deal, the league moved a significant number of games away from cable-exclusive distribution and onto broadcast television.
During the 2025-26 regular season, 62 NBA games aired on broadcast TV, up from just 24 the previous season. NBC carried 39 games, while ABC aired 23.
The number is set to rise again in 2026-27, with NBC scheduled to broadcast 50 regular-season games and ABC 21. As a result, roughly 31% of the NBA’s national regular-season games will be available on broadcast television.
Average audience climbs to 1.78 million
The expanded distribution also translated into stronger viewership. NBA games averaged 1.78 million viewers during the 2025-26 season, up 16% from 1.53 million a year earlier.
The figure represents the league’s highest average regular-season audience in seven years.
The NBA’s three media partners generated $870 million in advertising sales during the regular season, a 74% increase from the $500.1 million recorded in 2024-25.
The playoffs generated a further $987.9 million, up 27% year over year.
The five-game NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers generated $256.1 million in advertising sales, up 39% compared with the first five games of the previous season’s Finals between the Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Streaming takes a larger share
The biggest structural change in the NBA’s advertising business came from streaming.
With Prime Video and Peacock joining the league’s media lineup, streaming platforms generated $874 million in total in-game advertising revenue during the season.
Of that amount, $527 million came from exclusive streaming broadcasts, while another $347 million came from simulcasts of television coverage.
That compares with just $10 million in total streaming in-game advertising sales during the 2024-25 season.
Meanwhile, traditional linear television advertising spending declined 19%, falling from $1.52 billion to $1.24 billion.
ABC/ESPN leads advertising sales
ABC/ESPN remained the NBA’s biggest advertising seller, generating $824.5 million, equivalent to 39% of the league’s total advertising revenue.
NBC Sports followed closely with $782.2 million, while Prime Video generated $507.4 million during its first season as an NBA media partner.
Amazon’s NBA coverage also attracted a significantly younger audience. Prime Video’s NBA broadcasts had a median viewer age of 46.9, nearly a decade younger than the 56-year median audience for traditional television broadcasts.
Technology and automotive brands among biggest spenders
Entertainment and media companies were the NBA’s biggest advertising category, investing $232.7 million in commercial messaging during the season.
Technology companies followed with $215 million, while automotive brands spent $180.9 million. Financial services companies invested $173 million, and consumer packaged goods brands contributed another $147.8 million.
The first season of the NBA’s new media rights structure therefore delivered a significant commercial boost, with the league combining broader distribution, higher viewership and the rapid expansion of streaming to push advertising revenue beyond the $2 billion mark.