The NBA postseason is set to mark the beginning of a new broadcasting era, with playoff coverage fully transitioning to national networks and streaming platforms under the league’s new media rights agreements.
The Play-In Tournament will be streamed exclusively on Amazon Prime Video, representing a major shift from previous years when coverage was shared between ESPN and TNT Sports. The move highlights the NBA’s growing emphasis on digital distribution.
First-round playoff games will be split across NBC, Peacock, Amazon, ESPN, and ABC. Unlike previous seasons, local TV broadcasts and regional announcers will not be part of the coverage, as all games will now be handled exclusively by national and streaming partners.
The change comes as part of the NBA’s 11-year, $77 billion media rights deal, which reshapes how fans consume postseason basketball and significantly expands the role of streaming platforms in live sports distribution.
While the new structure was announced earlier, this postseason is the first time its full impact becomes visible, effectively ending the long-standing model where local broadcasters could air playoff games in parallel with national networks.
The shift has drawn criticism from some broadcasters and commentators, who argue that removing local announcers reduces the fan experience and weakens team identity during the most important part of the season.
At the same time, the league’s broader media ecosystem is also undergoing change, with regional sports networks facing instability and teams expected to re-evaluate local broadcast partnerships ahead of the 2026–27 season.
The NBA’s new model signals a clear move toward a streaming-first, nationally centralized playoff experience, redefining how postseason basketball is delivered to global audiences.