ESPN has signed a deal to carry as many as 19 NBA Development League playoff games for each of the league’s next two postseasons, the first time the D-League has been carried by the network in more than a decade.
The revenue-sharing deal is a “bridge” deal that spans this year’s D-League postseason and next year’s playoffs. That leads up to the start of ESPN and Turner Sports’ new deal for NBA rights that begins with the 2016-17 season.
ESPN last carried D-League games in the league’s 2002-03 season.
Starting next week, ESPN will carry up to 19 postseason games on ESPNews and ESPNU this spring, including the D-League Finals. Games will not be on ESPN or ESPN2 because of schedule commitments.
The agreement calls for the playoff games in 2016 to air on ESPNews and ESPNU as well.
The D-League has not yet finalized its TV agreements for next year’s regular season. Regular-season D-League games this year were broadcast on NBA TV and streamed on the league’s YouTube channel.
Last year, CBS Sports Network carried the D-League’s postseason.
The postseason coverage deal comes during a push by the 18-team D-League to gain more relevance. ESPN executives cited the D-League’s efforts to expand and have one-on-one affiliation deals for all 30 NBA teams as a reason it did the deal.
“You’ve seen over the last several years NBA teams use the D-League as a place to grow talent,” said Doug White, senior director of programming and acquisitions for ESPN. “There’s a lot of great talent in the league. You see a lot of talented players that people recognize from college.”
The D-League also continues to increase the number of NBA teams that have ownership of its franchises. Last week, the Utah Jazz bought the Idaho Stampede, becoming the eighth NBA team to fully own and operate its D-League affiliate. Cleveland, Golden State, the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City, New York, Philadelphia and San Antonio also have that type of franchise relationship.
The NBA sees the D-League as a viable option for player development, especially as NBA Commissioner Adam Silver pushes to increase the league’s minimum age to 20, up from the current 19.
The TV deal also represents the first major business initiative for the D-League under league President Malcolm Turner, who was hired last October.
“It will help the league grow further and expand the popularity of the teams and players,” Turner said. “We are focused on creating and building value.”
Turner is seeking a naming-rights partner for the D-League. The TV deal could play a part in securing that type of sponsorship, as well.
“The [naming-rights] effort is ongoing, and we are having a lot of productive conversations,” Turner said. “The ESPN deal is just another proof point in the story for us.”
