NEW YORK—NBCUniversal at its upfront presentation laid outplans for new product features coming to Peacock for its NBA coverage, promising “an unprecedented level of integration between the platform and NBC Sports’ production,” the company rsaid.
NBCU, Amazon and The Walt Disney Co. split the NBA rights in a deal an 11-year deal valued at $2.45 billion per year. The new deal, which left longtime rightsholder Warner Bros. Discovery out in the cold, begins with the 2025-26 season.
“Peacock will be the most fun and engaging place to stream NBA games for longtime basketball fans and new ones, too,” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said during the upfront at Radio City Music Hall. “We’re bringing the same level of innovation, inspiration and commitment that we’ve brought to so many other huge sports moments and leagues to deliver an intuitive, interactive and reliable streaming experience that the full range of NBA fans will enjoy.”
The company said that the new viewing features build on its streaming coverage of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, which reached nearly 100 million active users.
NBCU described the new features for next NBA season as follows:
- Instant Game Access. Peacock will make it easier than ever to stream NBA games, with the convenient Live in Browse feature allowing fans to jump straight into the action as soon as they open the Peacock app. Real-time insights and stats on the home page will give fans instant context about the matchup to quickly catch up before they start watching the game.
- Catch-Up. Fans tuning in late can use the Catch Up with Key Plays feature during a live game from any device. For mobile users who are watching on the go, the dedicated Can’t Miss Highlights playlist will have the latest game highlights and notable pre- and post- moments from across the league — and with one quick tap, fans can get to the live game on Peacock.
- Peacock ScoreCard. It is a first-of-its-kind, real-time streaming experience that is like "bingo meets fantasy sports” and will be available on TV and mobile. Fans will have the option to scroll to choose a game card based on a team or theme, and then earn points depending on what happens during the game. Personalized Peacock ScoreCard alerts will let fans know how they are doing throughout the matchup and how they stack up against other players. Top-ranked fans might even see their username on-air as part of a season leaderboard.
- Peacock Performance View. This is a new viewing mode that fans can choose to easily toggle on or off, unlocking real-time stats that break down the game, from which player is on a shooting streak to where they are most likely to score from next. The on-screen data overlay helps fans understand what might happen, before it does.
- Courtside Live. For Monday’s Peacock Exclusive Games, fans can get a coveted courtside seat to witness the energy and atmosphere from the arena through the Courtside Live feature starting during the second half of the season. Celebrating the culture of the NBA, this specially curated viewing experience will spotlight the moments fans care about and allow them to take control of how they watch — from the player arrivals and their latest fits to pregame shoot arounds, player spotlights and even courtside reactions from celebrity row. All these insider angles immerse fans even more deeply into the game, whether they are on-the-go and watching on mobile or via a special Multiview on the TV at home.
