Austin Karp
austinkarp.bsky.social
Austin Karp
@austinkarp.bsky.social
SBJ editor/scribe
Is the Disney-NFL Media deal going to happen before the season?

Two NFL sources tell my SBJ colleague Ben Fischer they’ve received an informal heads up that there may be a special league meeting in August on the topic.
July 17, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Full 2-day @nbadraftwass.bsky.social viewership across ABC/ESPN down just 5% from 2024

After 1st round was down 14.5% on Wednesday, Thursday helped rebound. Didnt hurt that 2025 2nd round was in primetime vs. 4-7pm ET in 2024

Overall draft: just under 2.6 million vs. 2.74 million in 2024
June 30, 2025 at 1:04 PM
So what do we now know about the future of NBA TV?

🔲 TNT Sports will stop operating NBA TV after September, per source
🔲 NBA will begin operating NBA TV on Oct. 1
🔲 NBA did NOT hold talks with MLB Network about operating NBA TV, per source

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
TNT Sports to cease production of NBA TV at end of September
TNT Sports will cease production efforts on NBA TV at the end of the league’s calendar year, which is the end of September, a source with knowledge of the situation tells SBJ.
www.sportsbusinessjournal.com
June 27, 2025 at 6:17 PM
ESPN extends media rights deal with the Premier Lacrosse League, becomes equity investor

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
ESPN extends deal with PLL, takes equity stake
The Premier Lacrosse League has landed a five-year media-rights renewal with ESPN, and the network will also be taking a small equity stake in the league. The rights deal begins next season and runs t...
www.sportsbusinessjournal.com
June 25, 2025 at 10:56 AM
Blowout? No problem for Women's College World Series audience.

Texas' win over Texas Tech on Friday in deciding Game 3 drew 2.4 million viewers across ESPN and ESPNU, marking the best WCWS game audience on record.
June 9, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Seeing around 8.91 million viewers for Pacers-Thunder Game 1. And such a good game.

11 million for Celtics-Mavs Game 1 last year.

Only 4 NBA Finals series on record have averaged under 10 million (2 amid pandemic; 2 with Duncan’s Spurs)

Still won the night among key demos
June 6, 2025 at 9:44 PM
NBA Playoff viewership up 3% headed into Pacers-Thunder Finals (across NBA TV, ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, TTN, truTV)

ESPN networks: +7%
TNT networks: +1%

www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/202...
NBA Playoff viewership up 3% headed into Pacers-Thunder Finals
The NBA Playoffs is averaging 4.2 million viewers heading into the start of the Pacers-Thunder Finals on Thursday night, up 3% from 4.1 million viewers at the same point last season. Those figures are...
www.sportsbusinessjournal.com
June 3, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Ok Richard, I’m finally here.
Per Austin Karp of SBJ:

Game 5 between the Knicks-Pacers drew 6.72 million viewers, best NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 5 since Cavs-Celtics in 2018 (7.51 million viewers.

The NBA Finals has had its viewership challenges but these are very good CF numbers in today's media universe.
May 30, 2025 at 11:30 PM