NBL and ESPN Extend Partnership

The National Basketball League (NBL) has announced a multi-year extension of its media rights deal with ESPN, ensuring every game of the NBL26 season, including finals, will be broadcast across Australia and New Zealand.

Effective from the season tip-off on 18 September 2025, the agreement also introduces direct integration of NBL content onto Disney+ via the ESPN tile. It marks the first time the league will appear on a mainstream entertainment streaming service, significantly broadening accessibility and positioning the NBL in front of millions of new and existing subscribers.

NBL programming will remain available on ESPN networks through Foxtel, Kayo Sports, and Fetch TV in Australia, as well as Sky in New Zealand. A renewed partnership with Network 10 will also continue to provide free-to-air coverage of Sunday games, maintaining reach across casual sports audiences.

NBL Group CEO David Stevenson credited ESPN’s support as pivotal to the league’s record growth: “We are extremely grateful to ESPN for their partnership and loyalty, which has been instrumental in us being able to achieve another record-breaking year for basketball across Australia and New Zealand.”

Kylie Watson-Wheeler, Senior Vice President and Managing Director for The Walt Disney Company Australia and New Zealand, and Head of ESPN Asia-Pacific, said the deal reinforced ESPN’s basketball offering: “The NBL is key to our Home for Hoops offering, with NBL26 set to be the biggest season yet.”

The agreement underscores the NBL’s ambition to strengthen its position in an increasingly competitive sports media landscape. By combining domestic competition coverage with ESPN’s extensive portfolio of US leagues, the broadcaster cements its role as the region’s leading destination for basketball content.

The extension reflects confidence in the NBL’s growth trajectory and ensures the league continues to benefit from global visibility, deeper fan engagement, and enhanced commercial opportunities.

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