News: NBA media rights, NASCAR and more

The NBA wants more games on broadcast television in its next media rights deal, per a report in The Athletic. In other news, NASCAR is reportedly meeting with digital media companies this week; Chris Fowler is said to be replacing Steve Levy on the MNF “B” team; Diamond Sports has made a late payment to the Cincinnati Reds.

NBA wants more games on broadcast in next deal

The NBA intends to put more games on broadcast television and fewer on linear cable in its next media rights deal, The Athletic reported Tuesday, and the league is expected to add at least one new partner even if it renews with Disney (ESPN/ABC) and Warner Bros. Discovery (TNT). The league’s exclusive negotiating window with Disney and WBD opens March 9 of next year and lasts for 45 days, after which rights will hit the open market.

Echoing an earlier CNBC report, The Athletic said Tuesday that NBC has expressed interest in reacquiring NBA rights, which the network held from 1990-2002. NBC has even stated its intention to again use its 1990 NBA theme music, “Roundball Rock” by John Tesh. (The Athletic 5.2)

NASCAR meets with streamers as negotiating window ends

NASCAR is meeting with digital media companies this week, following the expiration of its exclusive negotiating window with incumbent rights partners Fox and NBC, Sports Business Journal reported Tuesday. While NASCAR is expected to renew with its current partners as soon as next month, SBJ reported that the series is considering carving out a small package of races — akin to the six-race “summer series” that used to air on TNT — that could presumably go to a streaming service.

NASCAR’s interest in a streaming partner is said to have increased over the past year, a shift attributed in part to Amazon’s better-than-expected performance for Thursday Night Football. (SBJ 5.2)

Fowler to replace Levy on MNF “B” team

ESPN will name Chris Fowler the play-by-play voice for its secondary Monday Night Football broadcast team, replacing Steve Levy, the New York Post reported Tuesday. The secondary team is set for its most prominent role yet as ESPN will have five two-game weeks per year under the new NFL media rights deals that kick in this season.

Fowler, who the Post previously reported has reached a contract extension with ESPN, previously served on the MNF “B” team in 2019 and 2020. He and his college football partner Kirk Herbstreit called one game per season. (NYP 5.2)

Diamond Sports makes Reds payment

Bally Sports operator Diamond Sports Group has made its rights fee payment to the Cincinnati Reds, Sports Business Journal reported Tuesday, just days before Major League Baseball planned to take over the rights and begin producing the teams games itself. Diamond has made late payments to MLB teams on multiple occasions this year, risking the possibility of the rights reverting to MLB.

Per SBJ, the next possible missed payment would be to the Padres on May 15. Diamond has already missed a payment to…