NBA can shift the balance of power in media with its next rights deal
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Jimmy Butler #22 of the Miami Heat dribbles against Jamal Murray #27 of the Denver Nuggets during the fourth quarter in Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals at Ball Arena on June 12, 2023 in Denver, Colorado. Justin Edmonds | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images The National Basketball Association's upcoming decision on which companies will acquire the TV and streaming rights for its live games could transform the entire media industry. Based on preliminary discussions between media executives and league officials, Comcast 's NBCUniversal, Google 's YouTube TV, Amazon , Apple and even Netflix may challenge or join the incumbents as rights holders, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private. Spokespeople at NBCUniversal, YouTube, Amazon, Apple and Netflix declined to comment. Every media rights renewal for the NBA is an important event because it only happens about once a decade. The last rights deal was...