National Basketball Association (NBA) Africa and Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) Africa Announce Multi-Year Agreement to Expand NBA Coverage on the African Continent

Union (www.NBA.com) Africa and ESPN Africa today announced a multi-year agreement whereby ESPN2 (DStv 219 and Starsat 249) will broadcast more than 180 NBA regular-season and playoff-record games each season, including the entire Western Conference finals and Finals – The 23rd NBA season that ended last month.

As part of the agreement, ESPN Africa will broadcast all 45 games live during prime time in Africa this season as part of the “NBA Saturday and Sunday NBA 2K23 Presents,” with games starting as early as 19:00 on CAT and the league’s largest star. In addition, ESPN2 will broadcast NBA Christmas games, the NBA All-Star Game, play-in games, the weekly magazine show “NBA Action,” the NBA Draft and the multi-game live-watch show “NBA 360.”

ESPN2 will broadcast 30 classic games each season and will continue to offer major US-produced studio programming covering NBA news and updates, including SportsCenter and NBA Today. Viewers across Africa will also have access to new localized NBA programming. also, Africa.ESPN.com Original content covering NBA Africa events on the continent will be provided, including youth and elite basketball development programs, NBA player and legend appearances, and more. The full NBA 2022-23 schedule, including 45 African Primetime Weekend games, is available here (http://bit.ly/3tgveqz).

“As the birthplace of American sports in Africa, ESPN is committed to presenting the very best top-level sports content to audiences across Africa through a uniquely diverse and exciting portfolio of sports leagues,” said Kyle De Klerk, director of sports business and commerce. The Walt Disney Company Africa. He added: “The extended broadcast agreement with NBA Africa further extends this commitment, and the exciting new programming will give fans across the continent even more opportunities to share in the passion and excellence of this prestigious league.”

“ESPN Africa broadcasts a record number of NBA games and delivers more locally relevant content to our fans, which underscores the NBA’s momentum in Africa and will help us continue to grow the game across the continent,” Global Media Partnerships, said Kornela Semmelink, NBA Senior Director for Africa. “Through this expanded partnership, we will make the passion of the NBA more accessible to African fans on the devices and platforms they use most, including prime time.”

“NBA Saturday & Sunday in NBA 2K23,” the league’s initiative to schedule weekend games during prime time in EMEA, will air on ESPN2 and will include:

• Sunday 27th November: Four-time NBA champion and 2022 NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry, four-time NBA All-Star Draymond Green, five-time NBA All-Star Klay Thompson and defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors 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 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 will visit the 2021-22 Kia All-NBA team at 21:30 First-team member Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day, followed by NBA 2K23 rematch on Sunday, February 26 at 22:30 in Dallas.
• Saturday 14th 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 player Jrue Holiday and the Milwaukee Bucks at 20:00.
• Saturday 28 January: Back-to-back Kia NBA MVP Nikola Jokic 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 at 22:00 and the 76ers. Part of NBA Competitor Week. Embiid and Jokic are the top two finalists in the 2021-22 Kia NBA MVP Finals, with Jokic winning the award for the second straight 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 defending Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics Team 2022 NBA All-Star team Ja Morant and Memphis Grizzlies 21:00.
• Sunday 5 March: 22:30 Curry, Green, Thompson and the Warriors visit Davis, James and the Lakers.
• Sunday, April 9: 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 the latest information on NBA broadcasts on ESPN and other sports, fans can contact @ESPNAfrica on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or visit https://www.ESPN.com/. Fans can also download the newly revamped NBA app and follow @NBA_Africa on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

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

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Editor’s Note:
All broadcast times are provided in Central African Time (CAT/SAST)
Air dates and times are subject to change
How to call in:
ESPN2: DStv 219, Starsat 249

Media Contact:
For ESPN Africa:
Jenny Griesel – Jenny Griesel Newsletter
+27 83 406 3444
[email protected]

For the NBA:
Pawel Weszka – NBA Africa Newsletter
+27 10 007 2666
[email protected]

About ESPN:
ESPN, Inc. is the world’s leading multinational multimedia sports entertainment company with a portfolio of more than 50 multimedia sports properties. It features 8 US TV networks and 26 international networks, ESPN audio (broadcast, satellite, digital, podcast), the world’s leading portfolio of digital sports services, ESPN Magazine, consumer products, ESPN events and more. ESPN is 80% owned by ABC, Inc., an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Hearst owns 20% of ESPN.

About The Walt Disney Company EMEA:
The Walt Disney Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates are a leading diversified international family entertainment and media business, including Disneyland, experiences and products; Disney media and entertainment distribution; and three content groups—Studios, Universal Entertainment and Sports – Focused on developing and producing content for DTC, theatrical and linear platforms. Disney is a Dow 30 company with annual revenue of $65.4 billion in fiscal 2020.

The Walt Disney Company has a presence in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for more than 80 years and employs thousands of people in the region. Located between Disneyland Paris and other iconic brands including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, 20^th Century Studios and ESPN, The Walt Disney Company EMEA entertain, inform and inspire millions of consumers in more than 130 countries through unrivaled storytelling capabilities. The company’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, Disney+, is currently available in 17 European markets.

About NBA Africa:
NBA Africa is an independent entity established in May 2021 to oversee the NBA’s operations in Africa, including the Basketball League of Africa (BAL). The NBA has a long history in Africa and opened its African headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2010, before opening additional offices in Dakar, Senegal and Lagos, Nigeria. The league’s efforts on the continent are focused on increasing opportunities in basketball and the NBA through youth and elite development, social responsibility, media communications, corporate partnerships, the NBA African Games, BAL, and more.

NBA games and programming are offered in all 54 African countries, and since 2015, the NBA has hosted three sold-out exhibition games on the continent. BAL, a partnership between the International Federation of Basketball (FIBA) and NBA Africa, is a professional league with 12 club teams from across Africa completing their second season in May 2022. Fans can follow @NBA_Africa and @theBAL on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.