Nothing is ready in stone and there may very well be numerous lawsuits even after the NBA tries to ink the brand new media rights offers, however the sizzling rumor stays that after the 2024-25 season, the large new participant that can arrive will likely be NBC, knocking off TNT. This has led to some on the boards already asking if NBA 2K ought to attempt to go after the NBC license and construct that partnership.
It’s been a very long time for the reason that NBA was on NBC. However in case you’re a sure age, the NBA on NBC was your childhood. It’s perhaps even the way you fell in love with the NBA. The reminiscences concerning the presentation begin with Roundball Rock, and from there seemingly go to the varied video games you bear in mind, then the varied montages, after which the voices of these video games comparable to Marv Albert and Bob Costas.
The discuss NBC took on a brand new life throughout the Knicks/Pacers collection in these 2024 NBA Playoffs as a result of lots of people have been simply so fed up with how ESPN was overlaying the collection. The argument towards ESPN was that it was nearly like Stephen A. Smith was the “draw” and who was suiting up for the collection reasonably than anybody on the Knicks — and particularly anybody on the Pacers. The stark distinction was to how NBC used to do issues and actually give attention to gamers and rivalries reasonably than TV personalities.
Media criticism apart, Roundball Rock did make it into NBA 2K24 this 12 months. It’s featured most prominently within the MyNBA Eras mode, and that’s the place a few of this whetted urge for food comes from now. That stated, NBA 2K has not had a “licensed” broadcast in a few years, and there’s an actual query about whether or not 2K “wants” NBC licensing — or any licensing for that matter — after they have already got so most of the most identified names. Whereas guys like Shaq and Kenny Smith may not have a job anymore on TNT after subsequent 12 months, they’re not signed to 2K’s sport as a part of a TNT broadcast. It stands to motive that 2K will be capable of retain these abilities even when TNT loses them.
However I feel one thing that’s doubtlessly being missed is how aggressive NBC is likely to be when it comes to desirous to work with 2K. ESPN stopped being featured in 2K video games on account of agreements with EA, however NBC will likely be a recent face, and I feel it is smart for them to need to slip their broadcast package deal into the largest NBA online game round to ensure as many individuals as doable begin to acknowledge their feel and appear once more.
As well as, I’ve to imagine MyEras goes to stay an enormous a part of NBA 2K shifting ahead. One solution to improve the presentation is use the published license that existed for most of the NBA’s most iconic seasons.
It doesn’t must be the “solely” presentation package deal or something, however I feel if we’re going to see some cross-branding ever once more in our sports activities video video games, this may very well be a novel one the place the media firm finally ends up being aggressive about reaching out to a online game firm.
Associated
