NBA eyes $1.2 billion YouTube deal for local streaming of 29 clubs

The NBA is exploring a deal with YouTube that would move local television broadcasts for a majority of its clubs onto a single, geofenced streaming platform. In the initial phase, at least 25 teams would have their games streamed exclusively on the hub, while four more could be added later, though the Toronto Raptors are excluded because of a binding agreement with Rogers Communications. The league aims to package the rights of 29 franchises and request approximately $1.2 billion from YouTube. Once the fee is secured, the NBA intends to distribute the money to each franchise according to market valuation, meaning larger markets such as Miami (Heat) and Philadelphia (Sixers) would receive a bigger share, while smaller markets like Memphis (Grizzlies) or New Orleans (Pelicans) would get less, with the exact splits for the Lakers and Knicks still unclear.