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During the 2019-20 season, the NBA put up a bubble setting at the Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida in hopes of finishing a nearly lost season due to the threats and effects brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
But this isn’t the only reason the NBA and Disney have very close ties. Disney-owned ESPN holds part of the broadcasting rights for the NBA, having purchased these for $24 billion in a ten-year deal running through 2024-25.
Aside from all that, the two companies have been working together for a long time. This might now even lead to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver potentially leaving the NBA, to take over Disney.
According to Charles Gasparino of Fox Business News, Silver is on a short list to eventually replace Disney CEO Bob Iger. 72-year old Iger’s current deal with Disney runs through the end of 2024. Silver’s deal with the NBA on the other hand, also runs through 2024, also marking his 10 year anniversary as NBA Commissioner.
SCOOP: Media execs say @Disney has unofficial short list of internal/external candidates to replace @RobertIger includes @NBA commish Adam Silver @KevinMayer $DIS Entertainment’s Dana Walden. Silver suggests $DIS having second thoughts about ditching @espn 345pm @FoxBusiness
— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) March 3, 2023
