NBA agree four-year Sky Sports broadcast deal ahead of start of 2018-19 season

Sky Sports has announced a four-year deal with the NBA that will see it become the home of basketball in Britain.

With the new season due to begin on Wednesday morning in the UK Sky swooped in to claim the rights following the expiration of BT’s deal with the NBA and have committed to showing more than 170 games.

The first broadcast of the new deal begins in the early hours of Wednesday morning as a burgeoning rivalry in the Eastern Conference is renewed when the Philadelphia 76ers travel to the Boston Celtics.

Sky Sports will offer an average of five live games a week, including prime-time matches on Saturday and Sunday.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland,” said NBA EMEA vice president, Global Media Distribution, Elsa Memmi.

“With a record number of weekend primetime games, a season-long schedule of live games and programming, and extensive highlights available online and on mobile, Sky Sports will be the true home of the NBA for fans.”