History of NBA on NBC Sports in Timeline
NBA on NBC refers to the broadcasts of National Basketball Association (NBA) games produced by NBC Sports that aired on NBC. The 'NBA on NBC' branding has been used across three different time periods throughout its broadcast history. It signifies the presentation of NBA games on the network and is associated with specific commentators, theme music, and production styles.
2 days ago : Michael Jordan Joins NBA on NBC: Huge Payday Shocks Dominique Wilkins, Hall of Famers.
Michael Jordan's move to NBA on NBC Sports has shocked Dominique Wilkins and fellow Hall of Famers. The move is speculated to be a huge payday for Jordan, marking a new chapter in his career.
October 30, 1954: First NBA Telecast on NBC
On October 30, 1954, NBC's very first NBA telecast was a game between the Boston Celtics and Rochester Royals in Rochester.
1954: Broadcasting NBA
In 1954, Marty Glickman and Lindsey Nelson called games.
1954: NBA First Televised by NBC
In 1954, the NBA was first televised by NBC.
March 19, 1955: National Spotlight on Knicks and Celtics
On March 19, 1955, NBC broadcast a playoff game between the New York Knicks and Boston Celtics from Madison Square Garden.
March 31, 1956: First Nationally Televised NBA Finals Game
On March 31, 1956, NBC broadcast the first nationally televised NBA Finals game, Game 1 of the Philadelphia-Fort Wayne series.
1956: Lindsey Nelson and Curt Gowdy on Commentary
In 1956, Lindsey Nelson was paired with Curt Gowdy on commentary for most games, except for a few instances where Nelson worked with other commentators.
1957: Maurice Stokes Incident
During the 1957-58 season, NBC broadcast a game in Detroit between Cincinnati and the Pistons on March 15. After this game, Maurice Stokes became ill and suffered a seizure, leading to permanent paralysis. The delayed reaction was from hitting his head three days earlier.
1957: Gowdy and Nelson Broadcast Team
In 1957, Gowdy and Nelson were retained as the primary broadcast team for NBC, with some exceptions where Nelson worked alone or with other commentators.
1958: Curt Gowdy Broadcast Team
In the 1958-59 season, Curt Gowdy worked alone on all games except on March 15 (New York @ Syracuse, when Gowdy worked with Bud Palmer), April 5 (Minneapolis @ Boston with Lindsey Nelson).
1959: Commentary in 1959-60 Season
During the 1959–60 season, Curt Gowdy primarily worked alone on Saturday games while Lindsey Nelson mainly worked alone on Sunday games. Other commentators like Marty Glickman and Bill O'Donnell also contributed to some games.
1959: First Nationally Televised All-Star Game
In 1959, the NBA All-Star Game marked the first time that the All-Star Game was nationally televised. However, NBC only broadcast the second half.
1960: Commentary in 1960-61 Season
In the 1960-61 season, Lindsey Nelson was the primary commentator, occasionally working with Bud Palmer. Jerry Doggett and Marty Glickman also contributed to commentary on several games.
1960: Teams
In the 1960–61 schedule placed the three weakest teams--Cincinnati, Syracuse, and Detroit on television a total of 14 times.
April 7, 1962: End of First Tenure
April 7, 1962, marked the end of NBC's first tenure with the National Basketball Association.
1962: Dipping Ratings for NBA on NBC
By 1962, NBA ratings for NBC's Saturday afternoon games dipped to 4.8 (9 million viewers).
1962: End of First Stint
In 1962, NBC ended their first stint televising the NBA.
April 1970: Death of Maurice Stokes
Maurice Stokes, who was injured in 1957, died in April 1970.
November 9, 1989: NBA and NBC Reach Agreement
On November 9, 1989, the NBA reached an agreement with NBC worth US$600 million to broadcast NBA games for four years, starting with the 1990-91 season.
November 3, 1990: Inaugural Game
On November 3, 1990, the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs played.
1990: Start of montage soundtracking
During NBC's NBA coverage from 1990, the network started to soundtrack their end-of-season montages to various songs.
1990: NBA Showtime Title Used
From 1990 until 2000, the pre-game show for NBC's NBA telecasts was NBA Showtime.
1990: "Roundball Rock" composed
In 1990, John Tesh composed "Roundball Rock" for NBC, which became the theme music for the NBA on NBC broadcasts.
1990: Beginning of Broadcast Deal
In 1990, the NBA reached an agreement with NBC.
1990: NBA Returns to NBC
In 1990, the NBA returned to NBC under a multi-year contract, coinciding with the rise of Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls.
1991: NBC starts coverage on a Saturday
In the 2001-2002 season, NBC started their NBA coverage on the first Saturday of the season, for the first time since 1991.
1992: Magic Johnson Joins NBC as Analyst
In 1992, Earvin "Magic" Johnson joined NBC as a top game analyst after announcing his retirement, though his performance received criticism.
April 28, 1993: NBC Extends Broadcast Rights
On April 28, 1993, NBC extended its exclusive broadcast rights to the NBA with a four-year, $750 million contract.
1993: Magic Johnson phased out
After helping commentate the 1993 NBA Finals, Magic Johnson was slowly phased out of the NBA on NBC due to negative reviews.
1993: Mike Fratello Leaves NBC
In 1993, Mike Fratello left the booth to become head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and was replaced by Matt Guokas.
1994: Albert and Guokas Broadcast NBA Finals
In 1994, Marv Albert and Matt Guokas broadcast the NBA Finals.
March 1995: Highest-Rated Regular Season Game
In March 1995, Michael Jordan's first game back from playing minor league baseball scored a 10.9 rating.
1995: Bob Costas Hosts Until 1995-96
Bob Costas hosted Showtime from the inaugural season of the 1990 contract to the 1995–96 season.
1995: Albert, Guokas, and Walton Broadcast NBA Finals
In 1995, Marv Albert and Matt Guokas were joined by Bill Walton for the NBA Finals broadcast.
1996: Bob Costas Hosts Until 1995-96
Bob Costas hosted Showtime from the inaugural season of the 1990 contract to the 1995–96 season.
1996: Albert, Guokas, and Walton Broadcast NBA Finals
In 1996, Marv Albert, Matt Guokas, and Bill Walton broadcast the NBA Finals together.
1996: End-of-season montage song ends
Up to 1996, NBC played the rock song "Winning It All" by The Outfield during its end-of-season montage.
1997: Marv Albert Fired by NBC
In 1997, Marv Albert was fired by NBC due to a sex scandal.
1997: Albert, Guokas, and Walton Broadcast NBA Finals
In 1997, Marv Albert, Matt Guokas, and Bill Walton broadcast the NBA Finals together.
1997: NBC begins showing WNBA games
In 1997, NBC started showing Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) games as part of their NBA on NBC coverage.
1997: Preseason Tournament Included
The 1997–98 season included a preseason tournament featuring the Chicago Bulls.
1998: Bob Costas Replaces Marv Albert
In 1998, Bob Costas replaced Marv Albert for play-by-play, Hannah Storm replaced Costas on the pre-game show, and Isiah Thomas replaced Matt Guokas as color commentator.
1998: John Williams's song Exsultate Justi used for montage
In 1998, John Williams's song Exsultate Justi was used for NBC's end-of-season montage.
1998: New media deal leads to financial losses
In 1998, NBC signed a new media deal that resulted in financial losses for the network's NBA coverage.
1998: Finals Ratings Record
In 1998, the NBA set a Finals ratings record with an 18.7 household rating for the second Chicago Bulls–Utah Jazz series.
1998: Costas, Thomas, and Collins cover 1998 NBA Finals
In 1998, the team of Bob Costas, Isiah Thomas, and Doug Collins covered major games, including the 1998 NBA Finals, which set an all-time ratings record for the NBA.
1998: Preseason Tournament
In the 1998–99 season was the 1998–99 NBA lockout.
1998: Highest Ratings for a Finals Match
The 2001 NBA Finals, broadcasted by Marv Albert and Doug Collins, had the highest ratings for a Finals match since 1998.
1999: Costas and Collins Lead Team
During the 1998-1999 season, Bob Costas and Doug Collins made up the lead team, while Isiah Thomas moved to the studio. The 1999 NBA Finals had low ratings.
1999: Regular Season Fall
In 1999 the NBA saw its NBC ratings for the regular season fall from 4.3.
1999: "All Fired Up" and "Fly Away" used for montages
In 1999, Pat Benatar's song "All Fired Up" was used for montages, and after the 1999 Finals, NBC used "Fly Away" by Lenny Kravitz for their montage.
1999: All-Star Game Canceled
In 1999, the NBA All-Star Game was canceled due to the lockout.
1999: Finals Ratings Plummets
In 1999, the ratings for the NBA Finals plummeted, marking the beginning of a period of lower viewership.
2000: NBA Showtime Title Discontinued
From 1990 until 2000, the pre-game show for NBC's NBA telecasts was NBA Showtime.
2000: Marv Albert Returns to NBC
In 2000, Marv Albert returned to NBC, including calling that year's lead Christmas Day game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers.
2000: NBC's financial loss on NBA
In 2000, NBC experienced a significant financial loss of $100 million on its NBA coverage.
2000: "To the Flemish Cap" from The Perfect Storm featured in montage
In 2000, the song "To the Flemish Cap" from the film The Perfect Storm, composed by James Horner, was played at the beginning and end of the montage.
2000: Bob Costas' role diminishes
The 2000-2001 season brought an end to Bob Costas' direct role with the NBA on NBC. He continued to work playoff games and returned to host coverage for the 2002 NBA Finals.
December 2001: Projected losses for NBC
In December 2001, NBC projected a $200 million loss for the 2001-02 NBA season.
2001: Albert returns to lead broadcaster
During the 2000-2001 season, Marv Albert was again the lead broadcaster for the NBA, while Bob Costas delivered interviews and special features. Ahmad Rashad took over from Hannah Storm as studio host, and Isiah Thomas left to coach the Indiana Pacers.
2001: NBA coverage cross-promotion
During the 2001 NBA Finals, NBC cross-promoted its NBA coverage with The Weakest Link. Two 10-minute editions aired during halftime of Games 2 and 3.
2001: 24 Studio Segment Aired
For a brief period in 2001–02, NBC aired a studio segment called 24.
2001: "All Fired Up" used for montage
From 1999 to 2001, Pat Benatar's song "All Fired Up" was used for the end-of-season montage.
2001: Ahmad Rashad Takes Over as Host
In 2001, Ahmad Rashad replaced Hannah Storm as the host of NBA Showtime.
2001: Preseason Game Canceled
In 2001, NBC was scheduled to air an October preseason game involving an NBA team playing an international team; that game was canceled due to the September 11 attacks.
2001: End of NBC's Coverage
In 2001, NBC's 12-year coverage of the NBA ended after being outbid by Disney (via ABC) for the broadcast television contract.
2001: Final Season on NBC
In 2001, NBC's final season featured the return of Michael Jordan with the Washington Wizards.
2001: Michael Jordan's return to playing
In the 2001-2002 season, Michael Jordan returned to playing, this time for the Washington Wizards.
January 2002: NBA announces agreement with Disney and AOL Time Warner
In January 2002, the NBA announced a six-year agreement with The Walt Disney Company and AOL Time Warner, resulting in ABC acquiring broadcast television rights.
February 2002: 24 Segment Discontinued
In February 2002, NBC discontinued the 24 segment after Jayson Williams was arrested.
March 2002: Game Replacement
In March 2002, an NBA game between the Wizards and Magic was replaced with an Indiana Pacers–Sacramento Kings game.
June 2002: Ahmad Rashad ends run with NBC Sports
In June 2002, Ahmad Rashad announced he would be ending his 20-year run with NBC Sports after hosting the pre-game show for Game 3 of the Finals, while Hannah Storm covered the 2002 NBA Finals as host of the CNBC post-game show.
2002: Charles Barkley comments on NBC's Financial Issues
During halftime of Game 1 of the 2002 NBA Finals, Charles Barkley commented on the financial issues that NBC was facing.
2002: NBC covers Wizards game
During the 2001-2002 season, NBC covered an early December game featuring Michael Jordan's Wizards.
2002: "Roundball Rock" used until 2002
From 1990 to 2002, "Roundball Rock" soundtracked NBC's NBA coverage.
2002: NBC's Final NBA Telecast
Game 4 of the 2002 NBA Finals marked the end of NBC's 12-year run with the NBA, showcasing highlights from the Chicago Bulls' dynasty, the retirement of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, and the Los Angeles Lakers' Shaq/Kobe era. The broadcast concluded with a message "Thanks for The Memories" and the NBA on NBC logo.
2002: Hannah Storm and Ahmad Rashad Alternate as Studio Hosts
In 2002, Hannah Storm and Ahmad Rashad alternated as studio hosts. The studio team initially consisted of Rashad and Storm with Pat Croce, Mike Fratello, and Jayson Williams. After Williams' arrest, Tom Tolbert became the lone studio analyst. Hannah Storm was on assignment at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
2002: Albert and Collins broadcast NBA finals
In 2002, Marv Albert and Doug Collins broadcast the 2001 NBA Finals. After the season, Doug Collins was hired by the Washington Wizards, and Steve Jones and Bill Walton became the lead broadcast team with Albert.
2002: All-Star Game Hour Earlier
2002: NBC's NBA Playoffs Average Rating
In 2002, NBC averaged a 5.5 average rating during the NBA playoffs.
2002: Highest-Rated Western Conference Final
In 2002, NBC set a record for the highest-rated Western Conference Final, including a 14.2 rating for Game 7 of the series between the Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings.
2002: Final broadcast montage uses various songs
In 2002, for NBC's final broadcast, the network aired a montage of memorable moments from every year of coverage, using music from "Titans Spirit" and "To the Flemish Cap".
2002: Mike Tirico joins ESPN and ABC
Mike Tirico previously called NBA games for ESPN and ABC from 2002 to 2016.
2002: NBC's Contract Expires, ABC Signs Deal
Upon the expiration of NBC Sports' contract with the NBA in 2002, the NBA signed a broadcast television rights agreement with ABC.
2004: Telemundo and NBA deal expiration
Following the 2004-05 season, Telemundo and the NBA did not renew their agreement upon its expiration.
2005: ABC's NBA Playoffs Average Rating
In 2005, ABC averaged a 3.3 average rating for the NBA playoffs.
2006: NBA Ratings Drop on ABC
From 2002 to 2006, NBA ratings on ABC dropped almost a full ratings point.
2008: "Roundball Rock" used for Olympic basketball coverage
In 2008, "Roundball Rock" was used for NBC's Olympic basketball coverage, and then again in every Summer Olympics since 2016.
2011: NBCUniversal operates regional sports networks
Since 2011, NBCUniversal owns and operates a group of regional sports networks under the branding NBC Sports Regional Networks.
2016: "Roundball Rock" used for Olympic basketball coverage
In 2016, "Roundball Rock" was used for NBC's Olympic basketball coverage, and then again in every Summer Olympics since 2016.
2016: Mike Tirico's previous role at ESPN and ABC
Mike Tirico previously called NBA games for ESPN and ABC from 2002 to 2016.
2017: Death of Jim Fagan
Jim Fagan, known for his voice-over work for NBC's NBA coverage, passed away in 2017.
July 2024: NBCUniversal Regains NBA Rights
In July 2024, NBCUniversal regained the rights to the NBA under a new contract, with coverage set to begin in the 2025-26 season under the title NBA on NBC and Peacock.
July 23, 2024: NBC Sports Secures NBA Media Rights Deal
On July 23, 2024, Comcast confirmed that NBC Sports secured an 11-year media rights deal with the NBA, starting in the 2025-26 season, marking the NBA's return to NBC after 23 years.
January 12, 2025: Launch of NBA on NBC Social Media Accounts
On January 12, 2025, the social media accounts for the NBA on NBC were launched during NBC's coverage of the NFL playoffs.
2025: "Roundball Rock" returns
In 2025, "Roundball Rock" will once again soundtrack the NBA on NBC coverage.
2025: AI recreation of Jim Fagan's voice
In 2025, NBC and the Fagan family agreed to use an AI-generated recreation of Fagan's voice for select promos.
2025: New Contract
In 2025, NBCUniversal regained rights to the NBA under a new contract, beginning in the 2025–26 season, under the title NBA on NBC and Peacock.
2025: NBA's Return to NBC
The NBA is set to return to NBC in 2025 after a 23-year absence, with games broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock as part of an 11-year media rights deal.
2026: Mike Tirico Expected Commitments
In the revived NBA coverage, Mike Tirico is expected to fulfill his commitments to Sunday Night Football, Super Bowl LX, and the 2026 Winter Olympics before fully committing to the NBA.
2026: NBC set to return to airing WNBA games
The network is set to return to airing WNBA games in 2026 as part of NBC's latest 11-year media rights agreement with the NBA.
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