The NBA officially announced its new media rights package, which will begin in the 2025-26 season. While one of the biggest takeaways is likely the conclusion of Inside the NBA, basketball fans will get something back in return.
“Roundball Rock!”
The iconic NBA on NBC theme song will return next year when the league’s new media rights deal goes into effect. NBC played to their audience and posted an epic highlight reel set to the familiar tune.
With NBA’s return to NBC, John Tesh’s ‘Roundball Rock’ officially coming home https://t.co/O06UpkMtAi
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 24, 2024
The NBA on NBC might have only lasted from 1990 to 2002, but there are still throngs and throngs of people who crave it. It’s not just the song, either, as so many nostalgic layers made the league’s presence on NBC so real and present. It will prove interesting to see how many of those elements roll out in the new era of the NBA on NBC but for now? Everyone’s just really excited.
Chances are, if you saw the news, you had something to say about it.
NBC got the NBA? Hopefully the presentation and storytelling improves. They’ve done the Premier League so well, so I’m looking forward to how they approach this.
— Zito (@_Zeets) July 24, 2024
NBC got the NBA? Hopefully the presentation and storytelling improves. They’ve done the Premier League so well, so I’m looking forward to how they approach this.
— Zito (@_Zeets) July 24, 2024
The song is great, but what made the NBA on NBC so good was how it made the games feel larger than life. Sport broadcasts have lost that.
The 90s broadcast intros with narrators, music and storytelling, we need to bring THAT back.
Like this: https://t.co/3BqXLXNuK2 https://t.co/LWOqfXFGIO
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) July 24, 2024
June 12, 2002, NBA Finals Game 4 between the Lakers and Nets: The last NBA on NBC game.
Bob Costas opened with a monologue about Shaq and Kobe creating a Lakers dynasty, then Roundball Rock and then NBC ran its original 1990 intro as a way to say goodbye. pic.twitter.com/ntJvTsBC8m
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) July 24, 2024
No matter who wins this between TNT and Amazon I get the NBA on NBC back,
So I’m good. https://t.co/MfvuUg7BcG pic.twitter.com/K3KJGt0yBt— Keith Black Trudeau (@Charlottean28) July 23, 2024
My kids will get to watch the NBA on NBC the same way I did & I’m very excited about that reality https://t.co/qNtll1Ynmx
— Andrew Claudio (@AndrewJClaudio_) July 24, 2024
It’s a fascinating time, but one of the most iconic themes in television is coming back!