The anticipated exclusive negotiation period between the NBA and ESPN, Warner, regarding television rights is likely to conclude without reaching a deal.

The exclusive media rights negotiation window between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and its current partners, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, is poised to close on Monday without a finalized deal, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Commencing next week, the NBA will have the liberty to explore agreements with potential new partners to broadcast game packages. Notably, entities such as Amazon, Apple, YouTube TV, Comcast’s NBCUniversal/Peacock, and Netflix have all engaged in preliminary discussions with the league, expressing keen interest, as reported by CNBC last year. The official conclusion of the exclusive negotiation period with the NBA’s existing partners is slated for Monday.

While an agreement is not expected to materialize by the deadline, both Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery are actively engaged in ongoing discussions with the league to refine terms, as confirmed by an NBA spokesperson. CNBC previously reported the NBA's ambition to introduce at least one new flagship streaming partner, underscoring the league's pursuit of a robust collaboration aimed at elevating game coverage through strategic marketing and enhanced platform visibility.

“We continue to have productive discussions with Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery on a renewal of our media deals,” stated an NBA spokesperson in response to inquiries from CNBC.

Representatives for Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery declined to provide commentary on the matter.

Warner Bros. Discovery's TBS has been airing NBA games since 1984, with TNT joining the lineup in 1988. Meanwhile, Disney’s ESPN and ABC have been broadcasting NBA games since 2002. Both companies have publicly expressed their intent to renew their partnerships with the NBA and have collaborated with Fox to announce the upcoming launch of a new sports-centric streaming service slated for debut in the fall, as announced earlier this year.

The NBA's pursuit of a more lucrative media rights deal, aiming to double the $24 billion generated from its prior agreement with Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, adds complexity to ongoing negotiations, as reported by CNBC last year. Discussions are further complicated by the probable inclusion of a third-party partner. Neither Disney nor Warner Bros. Discovery is inclined to relinquish their existing rights, yet the NBA seeks a substantial increase in fees, prompting a delicate balance in sharing the financial burden, according to individuals familiar with the negotiations.

This scenario opens the door for the NBA to bring onboard additional parties, potentially selling its new in-season tournament package of games to a separate media entity aside from its primary streaming partner, as suggested by sources.

The escalating value of live sports programming, driven by its allure to advertisers, underscores its significance in the media landscape. Despite the rise of ad-free subscription streaming services for scripted content, live sports remain predominantly consumed in real-time, presenting lucrative advertising opportunities.

Last year's NBA playoffs marked the most-watched in 11 years across various networks, including TNT, ABC, ESPN, and NBA TV, according to Nielsen data. Moreover, the 2023-24 NBA regular season saw an average viewership of 1.09 million, a 1% increase from the previous year and the highest average across networks in four years, as reported by SportsMediaWatch.

However, viewership for the regular season plateaued this year across standard cable and broadcast networks, with the average televised audience of 1.56 million down 1% from the previous year, marking the lowest in three years. TNT's average viewership for its 65 regular-season games remained consistent with the prior year, according to a Warner Bros. Discovery spokesperson.