The first season under the NBA’s blockbuster media rights package proved to be a lollapalooza for the league’s distribution partners, as coverage of the 2025-26 campaign generated a record $2.11 billion in advertising revenue. According to a new report issued by Guideline, which captures actual investment data from the six major U.S. holding companies as well as most of the large independent shops, NBA in-game ad revenue last season grew a staggering 38% year-over-year, as the TV networks and streamers booked $580 million more than the previous haul ($1.53 billion). The big gain was largely a function of higher CPMs (i.e., the cost of delivering 1,000 ad impressions), which were in turn powered by the NBA’s expanded reach.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: The first season under the NBA’s blockbuster media …