NBA on ESPN | |
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Current logo, used since the 2016–17 NBA season.
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Starring | Various personalities (see below) |
Country of origin | United States |
Production | |
Running time | 150 minutes |
Release | |
Original network |
ESPN (1982–1984, 2002–present) ESPN2 (2002–present) ABC (2006–present) ESPN3 (Online streaming and Playoffs) ESPNews (Playoffs) ESPN Deportes (2005–present) ESPNU (Playoffs) |
Picture format |
480i (SDTV), 720p (HDTV) |
Original release | 1982–1984, 2002 – present |
External links | |
Website |
The NBA on ESPN refers to the presentation of National Basketball Association (NBA) games on the ESPN family of networks. The ESPN cable network first televised NBA games from 1983 to 1984, and has been airing games currently since the 2002–03 NBA season. ESPN2 began airing a limited schedule of NBA games in 2002. ESPN on ABC began televising NBA games in 2006 (ABC Sports aired NBA games under the title of the NBA on ABC from 2002 to 2006). On October 6, 2014, ESPN and the NBA renewed their agreement through 2025.
ESPN on ABC is the broadcast home of the NBA. ABC airs games on Christmas Day and under the title of NBA Sunday Showcase, Sunday afternoons from January through the end of the season, continuing to air games throughout the early rounds of the NBA Playoffs, culminating with exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals.
ESPN airs NBA games on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Most NBA games on the ESPN cable network air on Fridays at 8:00 p.m ET and 7:30 p.m PT as part of "Coast to Coast" doubleheaders. Games on Wednesdays are mostly single games, televised at 9:00 p.m ET (usually following an ACC college basketball game). In addition to games on ABC, several Sundays throughout the season also feature ESPN televised games, usually during the evening, though on most nights ESPN defers to NBA TV for Sunday night national broadcasts.
ESPN's presentation of games is referred to as NBA (name of day) (i.e., NBA Wednesday, NBA Friday and NBA Sunday). The telecast also was formerly known as ESPNBA. ESPN used to brand a few other games under the NBA Special Edition brand, but dropped the name in favor of the NBA (name of day) format in the 2013–14 season and beyond (e.g., NBA Monday); should the game air on a holiday, ESPN brands it according to the special occasion. Unless specified, ESPN's NBA broadcasts are not exclusive, in which local sports networks may still air the game in their home market. Likewise the first round playoff coverage is not exclusive.