ESPN and ABC join forces in new Saturday night NBA venture

US network ABC will receive more primetime sports on weekends following a new partnership struck with sports broadcaster ESPN covering the NBA basketball league.

ABC had previously aired NBA double-headers on Sundays, but beginning in January, ESPN on ABC will launch a new, weekly primetime series with the debut of Saturday Night NBA on ABC.

The exclusive, eight-game schedule will begin on January 23 with weekly game broadcasts at 8.30pm ET.

As a result of this new primetime series, ABC and ESPN will now combine to televise NBA games four days per week – Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday – from January to April, including three in primetime.

ABC had previously broadcast double-headers on Sundays as part of its NBA Sunday Showcase and will now show one exclusive game on Saturday nights and one on Sunday afternoons. In total, ABC will broadcast 16 exclusive regular-season NBA games, beginning on Christmas Day. ESPN will continue to televise weekly, primetime double-headers on Wednesdays and Fridays, generally at 8pm and 10.30pm throughout the regular-season.

John Skipper, ESPN's president, said: “The NBA’s massive popularity continues to open doors for new, collaborative opportunities, and this new series demonstrates ESPN’s commitment to showcase the NBA as often – and across as many platforms – as possible. Saturday night games will be highlighted by the NBA’s biggest stars, top rivalries and most compelling storylines. We expect to establish this series as a big-game destination for NBA fans, along the lines of what we’ve accomplished in college football with Saturday Night Football on ABC.”

ABC and ESPN are entering their 14th consecutive season as a national broadcast partner of the NBA. The entities will begin a new nine-year rights agreement at the commencement of the 2016-17 season.

In May, it was announced that ABC will broadcast its first NFL American football game in 10 years next season, with ESPN agreeing to a simulcast deal for the Wild Card Weekend on January 9-10.

The Wild Card playoff game, as well as ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown pre-game show, will be simulcast on ABC for the first time.