NBA Valuations in 2026 Driven by $76 Billion Media Deal and Arena Ownership
Beginning in the 2025-26 season, a national media rights agreement valued at roughly $76 billion will take effect, encompassing Disney's ESPN and ABC, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video, thereby replacing a previous $24 billion contract. This new deal elevates the financial baseline for all 30 teams. In 2025, Bill Chisholm's consortium finalized the purchase of the Boston Celtics for $6.1 billion. Additionally, the Buss family transferred majority ownership of the Lakers to investors led by Mark Walter, valuing the team at $10 billion. Mat Ishbia acquired the Phoenix Suns for $4 billion, while the Adelson family gained majority control of the Mavericks for about $3.5 billion. In December 2024, the 76ers abandoned plans for a downtown arena, choosing instead a partnership with Comcast Spectacor in January 2025.
Key facts
- An 11-year national media package reported at about $76 billion took effect with the 2025-26 NBA season, up from roughly $24 billion over nine years previously
- Bill Chisholm's group agreed in 2025 to buy the Boston Celtics for $6.1 billion
- The Buss family agreed in 2025 to sell Lakers majority control to a Mark Walter-led group at a $10 billion valuation
- Joe Lacob and Peter Guber bought the Golden State Warriors in 2010 for $450 million and control Chase Center, opened in 2019
- Steve Ballmer paid $2 billion for the Clippers in 2014 and roughly $2 billion more for Intuit Dome, opened in 2024
- The 76ers dropped the 76 Place downtown plan and announced a Comcast Spectacor joint venture in January 2025
- Dallas traded Luka Doncic to the Lakers in February 2025 and drafted Cooper Flagg first overall in 2025
- The Knicks have not won a championship since 1973 and received only a five-year operating permit for Madison Square Garden in 2023
Entities
Artists
- Bill Chisholm
- Mark Walter
- Jeanie Buss
- Jerry Buss
- Mat Ishbia
- Miriam Adelson
- Patrick Dumont
- Mark Cuban
- Joe Lacob
- Peter Guber
- Joe Tsai
- Steve Ballmer
- Tilman Fertitta
- Josh Harris
- David Blitzer
- Jerry Reinsdorf
- Wyc Grousbeck
- Irving Grousbeck
- Steve Pagliuca
- Mikhail Prokhorov
- Donald Sterling
- Leslie Alexander
- Ross Perot Jr.
- Stephen Curry
- Klay Thompson
- Draymond Green
- Jalen Brunson
- LeBron James
- Luka Doncic
- Kobe Bryant
- Shaquille O'Neal
- Kevin Garnett
- Paul Pierce
- Ray Allen
- Jayson Tatum
- Jaylen Brown
- Jrue Holiday
- Kristaps Porzingis
- Kevin Durant
- Kyrie Irving
- James Harden
- Kawhi Leonard
- Paul George
- Michael Jordan
- Scottie Pippen
- Phil Jackson
- Yao Ming
- Daryl Morey
- Ime Udoka
- Hakeem Olajuwon
- Joel Embiid
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Anthony Davis
- Max Christie
- Cooper Flagg
Institutions
- NBA
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Boston Celtics
- Golden State Warriors
- New York Knicks
- Brooklyn Nets
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Chicago Bulls
- Houston Rockets
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Dallas Mavericks
- Phoenix Suns
- Disney
- ESPN
- ABC
- NBC
- Amazon
- Prime Video
- Madison Square Garden Sports Corp.
- Madison Square Garden Entertainment
- MSG Network
- Chase Center
- Thrive City
- Oracle Arena
- Crypto.com Arena
- AEG
- Spectrum SportsNet
- Time Warner Cable
- TD Garden
- Delaware North
- Barclays Center
- Alibaba
- New York Liberty
- WNBA
- Intuit Dome
- Microsoft
- SoFi Stadium
- Kia Forum
- United Center
- Chicago Sports Network
- NBC Sports Chicago
- Chicago White Sox
- Toyota Center
- Landry's
- Golden Nugget
- Comcast Spectacor
- Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment
- New Jersey Devils
- Prudential Center
- Washington Commanders
- Crystal Palace
- Wells Fargo Center
- Las Vegas Sands
- American Airlines Center
- Diamond Sports Group
- Bally Sports
- Symphony Technology Group
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Chelsea FC
- Los Angeles Kings
- New York Rangers
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Dallas Stars
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Detroit Pistons
- Quartz
Locations
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Boston
- San Francisco
- Oakland
- Mission Bay
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Penn Station
- Brooklyn
- Inglewood
- California
- Chicago
- Houston
- Texas
- Philadelphia
- South Philadelphia
- Newark
- New Jersey
- Dallas
- Dallas-Fort Worth
- Paris
- France
- China
- Hong Kong
- Massachusetts
- New England
- Delaware Valley
- Orlando
- Las Vegas
Sources
- Quartz —