The NBA Thursday announced multiyear TV deals in India with Taj Television and Multi Screen Media. The deals include live games, replays and original programming. Taj will produce highlight recaps and segments on grassroots events to air on Ten Sports and Zee Network channels. The Taj deal also includes 36 episodes of the "Real NBA" behind-the-scenes show. MSM will televise its NBA coverage on PIX (NBA). REUTERS' Ben Klayman noted the deals with Taj and Sony-owned MSM "bring broadcasts back to a growing market where NBA games were previously aired by ESPN Star Sports, whose deal expired after last season." Under terms of the deal, Taj will "broadcast two live games per week on its Ten Sports channel, as well as the all-star game and playoffs, including the finals." Similarly, MSM will "televise two live games per week on its English-language movie channel PIX, as well as some playoffs and a highlights show." It also will air a weekly show that condenses a game into 30 minutes. Klayman noted the NBA earlier this year "launched a recreational league in India with conglomerate Mahindra Group, and plans to open an office there early next year" (REUTERS, 12/2).
