NBA fans will need different combinations of television access and paid subscriptions to follow the 2026-27 season. Some games will air free over the air, while others require pay-TV packages or streaming services. ABC, ESPN, NBA TV, NBC, Peacock, Prime Video and regional sports networks split the games, and blackouts can keep subscribers from watching live.
Who Controls the Screens
In-market viewers generally need their team’s regional sports network, or RSN. Some teams broadcast games free over the air; others require pay TV. The Knicks’ MSG Network and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Spectrum SportsNet are available through only a select few providers. Most RSNs offer direct-to-consumer passes or subscriptions, and Denver has Altitude+ for local viewers.
DAZN holds exclusive regional rights for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs. It will also carry online broadcasts for the Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Detroit Pistons and Orlando Magic. Out-of-market fans can watch through NBA League Pass, but national television games and in-market RSN broadcasts are blacked out live. Local blackouts lift three days after the live broadcast; national games can be replayed at 6 a.m. the following day.
League Pass offers several subscription tiers. Some replace commercials with in-arena features, including dancing fans and mascot performance art. Viewers can choose home or away feeds. NBA TV simulcasts the featured home team’s RSN broadcast and is available as a standalone channel and through the League Pass app. It’s included with League Pass and available through most pay-TV plans, though some plans may require a sports or premium package.
Corporate Rights and Paid Services
ABC and ESPN, owned by the Walt Disney Company, will combine for 80 regular-season broadcasts. ABC holds exclusive rights to the NBA Finals. Its Saturday primetime games begin in December, and Sunday doubleheaders start at the end of February. The “NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC” premiere is Dec. 12, with the Knicks at the Miami Heat at 8:30 p.m.
NBC and Peacock carry the season opener, All-Star Weekend and holiday quadruple-headers for MLK Day and Presidents Day. Peacock streams every NBC game, while Peacock exclusives require a subscription or NBCSN access for linear viewing. NBC is free over the air; Peacock’s premium plan includes live sports, and some pay-TV packages include NBCSN.
Prime Video is the league’s newest broadcast partner. Its schedule includes NBA Cup elimination stages and championship, NBA Global Games in Paris and Manchester, England, and the Eastern Conference finals. Fans need a Prime Video subscription to watch its games. The NBA Cup knockout stages begin Dec. 4, and the championship game is set for Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
A Season Distributed Across Platforms
The national schedule spreads games across services throughout the week. Monday night games air on Peacock/NBCSN; Tuesday games on NBC/Peacock; Wednesday games on ESPN; and Thursday games on Prime Video, starting midseason. Friday games are scheduled for Prime Video and ESPN, also starting midseason. Saturday and Sunday matchups are split among Prime Video, ESPN, ABC, NBC and Peacock. NBA TV carries games throughout the week.
The season-opening triple-header on Oct. 20 features Boston at Detroit, Philadelphia at New York and Oklahoma City at San Antonio, all on NBC. Christmas Day brings five games on ABC/ESPN, including Philadelphia at the Lakers at 5 p.m. Peacock/NBCSN will air the MLK Day quadruple-header. NBC’s “Sunday Night Basketball” begins Jan. 24 with Oklahoma City at Golden State.
The guide identifies the New York Knicks as defending champions and says LeBron James is with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Western Conference finals are scheduled for May 2027, with the NBA Finals in June 2027. It also says “Inside the NBA” began its first season on ABC and ESPN the prior year after its long run with TNT Sports. Charles Barkley said he and anchor Ernie Johnson might retire after the 2026-27 season.