NBA Forecasts $14.3 Billion in Revenue for 2025-26 Season
SLUG: nba-revenue-projection-2025-26
New York — The NBA expects to generate $14.3 billion in gross revenue during the 2025-26 campaign, the league told team owners at a September meeting, according to figures obtained by Sportico.
The projection marks a 12 percent jump from the $12.75 billion collected league-wide last season. All income streams tied directly to league and team operations are included, except money clubs earn from non-NBA events held in their arenas.
A recently finalized $76 billion media rights agreement with ESPN/ABC, NBC, and Amazon is the chief catalyst. Team distributions from national television contracts will rise from $103 million to $143 million this season and are slated to climb about 7 percent annually thereafter.
The league’s basketball-related income (BRI) — the figure used to set the salary cap — totaled $10.25 billion last year, falling short of forecasts after local media turbulence and deep playoff runs by several small-market clubs lowered postseason gate receipts. The shortfall required players to return roughly $484 million to owners to maintain the negotiated 51/49 revenue split.
League officials anticipate the new media deal will boost BRI in 2025-26, improving the likelihood that players keep their full salaries and potentially receive additional payments, while also supporting future salary-cap growth.
Source: Hoops Rumors
