The NBA expects to generate a record $14.3 billion in total revenue during the 2025-26 season, according to figures presented to team owners in September, Sportico’s Kurt Badenhausen reported via Hoops Rumors.
The projection represents a 12 percent increase over the league’s 2024-25 estimate of $12.75 billion and covers all league- and team-generated income except non-NBA arena events.
Media deal drives growth
League executives attribute the jump mainly to the new $76 billion national media rights agreement with ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon. Under the deal, each franchise’s share of national television revenue will rise from $103 million to $143 million in 2025-26, with additional annual increases of roughly 7 percent expected.
Impact on basketball-related income
Higher media payments are set to lift basketball-related income (BRI), the metric used to calculate the salary cap and luxury-tax thresholds. Last season’s BRI totaled $10.25 billion—short of projections after several local TV markets collapsed and major-market clubs missed deep playoff runs, reducing postseason gate receipts. That shortfall required players to return about $484 million to teams to preserve the collective bargaining agreement’s 51/49 revenue split.
With national broadcast dollars now secured for the long term and less dependent on local television uncertainty, league officials anticipate steadier revenue growth, higher salary caps and fewer escrow clawbacks for players.
Source: Hoops Wire
