The National Basketball Association’s exclusive media rights negotiating period with current partners Walt Disney and Warner Bros Discovery is likely to expire without a new deal on Monday, CNBC reported on Thursday.
NBA will be able to engage with new partners to show packages of games from the start of next week, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter, Reuters reported.
Warner began airing the games in 1984, while Disney’s ESPN sports network began broadcasting NBA in 2002.
“We continue to have productive discussions with Disney and Warner Bros Discovery on a renewal of our media deals,” an NBA spokesperson said in an email.
NBA could sell its new in-season tournament package of games to a separate media company than its primary new streaming partner, the report said.
The league is looking for a large increase in fees, and Disney and Warner do not want to carry the full burden of paying significantly more for what they already have, CNBC reported, citing the sources.
Amazon, Apple, YouTube TV, Comcast’s NBCUniversal/Peacock and Netflix have all had preliminary talks with the league expressing potential interest, CNBC reported last year.
Disney and Warner Bros Discovery declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

NBA is looking to double the $24 billion it generated from its previous media rights deal with Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery by adding new partners and charging more for rights, CNBC reported last year.