NBA AFRICA AND ESPN AFRICA HAVE SIGNED A MULTIYEAR AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE EXTENSIVE NBA COVERAGE ON THE CONTINENT

ESPN2 will broadcast a record number of games each season, including all 45 games that will air in Africa during the 2022-23 regular season, as well as the Conference Finals and Finals.

November 10, 2022: NBA Africa and ESPN Africa today announced a multiyear agreement under which ESPN2 (DStv 219 and Starsat 249) will broadcast a record of more than 180 NBA regular season and playoff games each season, including the entire Conference Finals and Finals, beginning with the 2022-23 NBA season, which began last month.

As part of the agreement, ESPN Africa will broadcast all 45 games live in primetime in Africa this season as part of “NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays presented by NBA 2K23,” with games beginning as early as 19:00 CAT and featuring the league’s biggest stars. Additionally, the NBA Christmas Day games, NBA All-Star, the Play-In Tournament, the weekly magazine show “NBA Action,” the NBA Draft, and the multi-game live look-in programme “NBA 360” will be broadcast on ESPN2.

ESPN2 will continue to deliver marquee US-produced studio programming covering NBA news and updates, such as SportsCenter and NBA Today, and will broadcast 30 classic games each season. African audiences will also have access to new localised NBA programming. Furthermore, africa.espn.com will feature original content covering NBA Africa events on the continent, such as youth and elite basketball development programming, appearances by NBA players and legends, and more. The complete NBA 2022-23 game schedule is available here, including 45 primetime weekend games in Africa.

“As the home of American sports in Africa, ESPN is committed to showcasing the very best in premier sporting content through a uniquely diversified and exciting portfolio of sporting leagues to audiences across Africa,” said Kyle De Klerk, Director: Sports Commercial and Business, The Walt Disney Company Africa. “This extended broadcast agreement with NBA Africa expands on this promise, and the exhilarating new programming on offer will give fans across the continent even more opportunity to share in the passion and excellence of this renowned league,” he added.

“ESPN Africa airing a record number of NBA games and providing more locally-relevant content to our fans underscores the momentum for the NBA in Africa and will help us continue to grow the game across the continent,” said Kornelia Semmelink, NBA Africa Senior Director, Global Media Partnerships. “Through this expanded collaboration, we will make the excitement of the NBA more accessible to fans in Africa on the devices and platforms they use most, including in primetime.”

“NBA Saturdays and NBA Sundays presented by NBA 2K23,” The league’s initiative to schedule weekend games in primetime in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, which will air on ESPN2, includes the following:

• Sunday, 27 November: Four-time NBA champion and 2022 Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry, four-time NBA All-Star Draymond Green, five-time NBA All-Star Klay Thompson and the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors visit three-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, three-time NBA All-Star and Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert (France), 2020-21 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team member Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves at 22:30.
• Sunday, 25 December: Four-time NBA champion and Finals MVP LeBron James, 2020 NBA champion and eight-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers visit 2021-22 Kia All-NBA First Team member Luka Doncić and the Dallas Mavericks at 21:30 on Christmas Day, followed by an NBA Sundays presented by NBA 2K23 rematch in Dallas on 26 February at 22:30.
• Saturday, 14 January: Six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler, 2020 NBA All-Star Bam Adebayo, 2021-22 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro and the Miami Heat host two-time Kia NBA MVP and 2021 NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo, three-time NBA All-Star Khris Middleton, four-time Kia NBA All-Defensive Team member Jrue Holiday and the Milwaukee Bucks at 20:00. 
• Saturday, 28 January: Reigning back-to-back Kia NBA MVP Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets visit five-time NBA All-Star Joel Embiid, 2017-18 Kia NBA MVP and 10-time NBA All-Star James Harden and the 76ers at 22:00 as part of NBA Rivals Week. Embiid and Jokić were the top two 2021-22 Kia NBA MVP finalists, with Jokić winning the award for the second consecutive season.
• Sunday, 12 February: Three-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum, 2021 NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown, 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart and the defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics host 2022 NBA All-Star Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies at 21:00.
• Sunday, 5 March: Curry, Green, Thompson and the Warriors visit Davis, James and the Lakers at 22:30.
• Sunday, 9 April: Three-time NBA All-Star Devin Booker, 12-time NBA All-Star Chris Paul and the Phoenix Suns host George, Leonard and the Clippers at 21:30. 

For updates regarding NBA broadcasts on ESPN and other sports, fans can connect to @ESPNAfrica on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit https://www.espn.com/. Fans can also download the newly-reimagined NBA App and follow @NBA_Africa on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

ESPN Africa has been NBA Africa’s pay TV broadcast partner in Africa since 2019.

Main Image:Stephen Curry/espn

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